Make Them Hear You
by Coffeeandscribe
Summary: Sora is a struggling author by day and a cabaret bartender by night. Roxas is his assistant by day and a burlesque girl in the cabaret by night. Riku and Axel sleep by day and are the world's most famous musicians by night. They live in world where loving the same sex is wrong. But when you love someone, it can't be wrong, right? Right? Yaoi, Lemons, Adult themes. RikuxSora AkuRoku
1. Chapter 1

Sora West had managed to hit his snooze button three times before his phone began blaring on the night stand next to his bed. He opened his eyes into little slits and hissed when he noticed sun was streaming in his open window; he quickly slammed his lids closed to shut out the offensive light. The brunet then blindly shoved his hand out of the covers and slammed it around the table until it landed on his phone. His eyes remained closed while he pressed the device against his ear and answered the call.

"Hello?" Sora croaked into the mouth-piece and rubbed his tired eyes.

"Good morning to my handsome Fiancé!" Kairi's voice chirped from the speaker. Sora quickly moved the phone a few inches away from his ear before continuing their conversation.

"Good morning, Kai." The brunet stretched and yawned before snuggling back into his covers. His navy blue comforter was too cozy for him to leave just yet.

"You lazy bum; you were supposed to be up thirty minutes ago." The auburn haired woman scolded him while chuckling. She was always a morning person and her future husband was the exact opposite. Waking up was the hardest part of Sora's day.

"I know, I know. Is that all you called for?" He sat up in bed and forced himself to open his eyes. Once they adjusted Sora was able to make out the furniture in his room. His bed was the largest piece, obviously, and took up a majority of the small master bedroom in his apartment. His dresser, which had been lime green at one time (but was now a much more "mature" black), was the second largest object. It was currently crammed into the corner with a television and assorted dirty pieces of laundry scattered on top of it. The rest of Sora's room was occupied by a small computer desk, a shelf that held all of his old base-ball trophies from high-school, and the night stand that once held his phone, but now only had a small lamp resting on it. His brown walls hadn't changed since the last time he had woken up and neither had the miserable excuse for carpet that was stained and matted in his usual walking trails around the maze of smashed together furniture.

"I just wanted to wish you luck. Today's the day you get the big assignment, right?" Kairi questioned. Sora's eyes went wide when he remembered that it was Thursday and that was the day his boss had promised to let him know about a big new writing project that had Sora's name written all over it. He had also forgotten that Thursday was the day he and his boss were holding interviews for his assistant position.

"It totally slipped my mind! Shit!" Sora threw himself out of bed while holding the phone to his face with his chin against his shoulder. Kairi giggled on the other end of the call and then quickly hushed herself. Sora could hear her cover up her phone before muttering to someone else in the room. He listened closely while slipping on some fresh boxers.

"_Sorry, I'm on the phone with my fiancé… No, no, it's fine... He knows… Yeah, we have an open relationship… the bathroom is right down the hall… I work at eight, if you could be gone by then… Thanks!"_

Sora's heart sank while he listened to Kairi talk to whatever man she had slept with the night before. He didn't let it show in his voice, though, when she returned to his call.

"Sorry about that, honey. I need to get going so I hope you do great today! Don't forget that I love you." The auburn haired woman waited for Sora to say "I love you, too" before ending the call.

The brunet rubbed his eyes in frustration and continued about his morning. Normally he had a lot more time to get ready than just an hour but he had hit snooze three times and talked to Kairi for at least five minutes more. He needed to hustle if he was going to get out of the house in time for him and Roxas to make it to the office.

_Roxas!_

Sora remembered that it was his responsibility to wake up his best friend and quickly darted from his tiny bedroom into the even tinier bedroom across the apartment. He dashed through the kitchen and the living room before colliding with Roxas' door and bursting through. The blond groaned and rolled over in bed but otherwise remained undisturbed by Sora's dramatic entrance.

"Rox, you gotta get up! Your interview is today!" Sora hurled a fresh pair of boxers in his best friend's direction before leaving the room. He ran into the kitchen and dumped some coffee that had brewed twenty minutes before (thank goodness for automatic timers) into a mug. He screwed the lid on while shuffling back to his room as speedily as he could without spilling.

The brunet whipped open his dresser to reveal rows of organized dress shirts and pants. It seemed that the only amount of organization in his entire apartment was contained to those two drawers; he took out the outfit on top and nearly threw his coffee on the night-stand so he could change. He pulled up his grey dress slacks and hurriedly shoved a belt through all of the loops after he tucked in his lilac dress shirt. He finished off his ensemble with a plain and simple black tie with an Eldredge knot before grabbing his coffee and sprinting to the bathroom. It was here that Sora inspected his outfit and deemed it decent enough for what his day had in store. He quickly gave up on running a comb through his unmanageable hair and brushed his teeth, cringing at the taste of mint with his black coffee.

"Hey, I need to put my face on, so hurry up!" Roxas called to him from outside the door. Sora sighed internally before opening the barrier between them. He rolled his eyes at the sight of his best friend.

Roxas had completely disregarded the boxers Sora had thrown at him and had put on a pair of his favorite lace panties instead. They were slightly covered by his black tights, though.

"I thought I told you that you had a better shot of getting the job if you went as Roxas." Sora frowned again when the blond ignored him and scooted in-between him and the sink to reach the shower. Roxas turned the water on and splashed his face a bit before wiping it clean with a towel.

"I don't feel like Roxas today. I feel like Roxie and that's that." Roxie smiled cheerfully at her best friend and tousled his spikes.

"Roxas…" Sora's warning tone was completely lost on the blonde, though, because she was happily humming to herself while sitting on the closed toilet. She placed a small mirror in front of her and began putting on bright red lipstick.

"Don't be such a worry-wart, Sora. Everything will be fine!" Roxie beamed and went back to applying her make-up. Sora shook his head and decided the best course of action was to let her do what she pleased because there was no stopping her once she set her mind to something.

"Just be ready in twenty minutes, okay? We _can't _be late." The blonde saluted in response before the brunet left the room. Sora reminded himself that sharing his bathroom was only a temporary situation. He was just helping Roxie get back on her feet, after all. Sure, it had already been six months, and _sure_, Sora had said only a few weeks, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that Roxas was safe from Blaze and was getting his life back on track.

_**Her**__ life on track, stupid. _Sora scolded himself for his blatant ignorance. _She's Roxie today and you better not forget it at the interview!_

Sora had never lived with anyone before Roxas, though, and it was proving to be more difficult than he had imagined. He didn't like sharing the television or the bathroom and the kitchen was too small for both of them to be in at the same time. He could hear Roxas snore all night long and when he wasn't snoring he was singing loud enough to upset the neighbors. The blond left his towels on the bathroom floor all the time. He never closed the bread bag after taking out a slice. He did a thousand other things that pissed Sora off, too, but the brunet cared about Roxas far too much to bring any of it up. He knew that leaving Blaze was the hardest thing Rox had ever done; it would take longer than six months to get his life back together.

That's why Sora was determined to get Roxas the job as his assistant. It wouldn't be easy, of course, because he knew that his boss wanted him to have a male assistant and Roxas was _determined_ to be a girl for the day. Having a best friend that cross-dressed had never bothered Sora much as long as the blond didn't get caught. Sora had talked them out of a few scraped before because Roxas hadn't been careful enough.

"_The world isn't ready for people like you and me, Roxie. You need to try harder." Sora held an ice-pack to his friend's eye while nursing his own wounds. Her make-up was smeared and her wig was matted. The blonde wiped tears from her eye before smiling sadly at Sora._

"_It's not fair, though. It's just who I am. I can't be confined to just Roxas or just Roxie. I'm both him and her. I'm not hurting anyone! And you're not hurting anyone either, just because you like men. I like men too, and it's okay when I'm Roxie but not when I'm Roxas. But I'm both of them, so it doesn't make any sense." Roxie cried out in desperation as she shifted how she was sitting on the closed toilet lid. Her leg was being iced in the shower from where the men at the bar had managed to kick her before Sora came to her rescue._

"_Of course we're not hurting anyone. Maybe someday it will be different and we won't have to hide who we are. But for now we need to be more careful and make sure no one ever finds out." Sora sighed and wrung out the cold wash-cloth before adding more ice. He hated to see Roxie cry the way she was._

Roxie came out of the bath-room completely ready to go in only fifteen minutes. She smirked, proud of herself, as she strutted into the living room for Sora to take a look at her outfit. Her stiletto heels were slipped on over the black tights from before, only now the tights were covered by a black pencil skirt as well. Her classic white blouse was only half showing; the rest was hidden by a colorful red blazer. Her blond hair was styled artfully down one shoulder in large curls (it was one of her favorite wigs) and her make-up was impeccable. Winged eyeliner, eyelashes full of volume, bright red lips that matched her blazer, and flawless looking foundation completed her look perfectly.

"Okay, fine. So maybe Roxie will get the job." Sora rolled his eyes as Rox squealed with delight.

"Awesome! Let's go, Sor-rah!" Roxie purposely added the affliction to the brunet's name before grabbing his keys off of the rack and running out the front door. Sora chuckled to himself and checked his pockets for the essentials. Phone, wallet, and favorite pen were all in attendance, and his keys were currently being carried down the stairs by an exuberant blonde.

"Wait up, Roxie!" Sora called to her before closing the door to his apartment and rushing down the stairs. They made it to the car at the same time.

"I wanna drive!" Roxie begged before Sora scoffed and snatched the keys from her manicured fingers.

"In your dreams, girlie. I worked hard to afford this bad-boy, and that means I'm going to drive it." Sora stroked the hood of his 1998 Honda Accord lovingly before sliding into the driver's seat.

"This thing is a piece of shit and you know it." Roxie rolled her eyes as she got into the car sideways so no one could see up her skirt. The apartment parking-garage was surprisingly busy for it being so early on a Thursday morning.

"Hey! Don't you dare talk about the Rusty Stallion that way! After all he does for you…" Sora shook his head in mock disgust and pulled out of the parking spot. By the time they got on the freeway the duo was engaged in a heated conversation about how Roxie should conduct herself at her interview for the day.

"I don't get why I have to pretend to be someone I'm not." She crossed her arms and kicked her heels up onto the dash. Sora cringed.

"Stop that. If we get in an accident you're going to snap your legs in half." He frantically swatted at her tights with one hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel.

"That's not the point, Sor-rah. Just tell me why I can't be the usual Roxie!" She demanded an answer from the brunet.

"Because the regular Roxie is a slut and you know it!" Sora laughed and continued to shove Rox's legs off the dash.

"So?!" The blonde cackled before shrugging her shoulders. "Fine, I'll be a good little assistant. I'll grab you your coffee and run and get you lunches and stuff. I'll even let you slap my ass when I walk by, and I'll be _extra_ sure to stay and lend a hand if you ever need to work late-night over-time." She winked at Sora and puckered her lips. The brunet moved his flailing hand from her tights to her face, giving her a playful smack.

"Get out of here, you harlot." Sora couldn't help but smile as he pulled in to his usual parking spot, though. The pair got out of the car and after Roxie adjusted her skirt they entered the building.

"Morning, Sora!" The secretary, Selphie, greeted the brunet kindly. She then beamed at Roxie after noticing that she was accompanying Sora. "Hello to you, too!"

"Good-morning." Roxie purred to the other woman in a sweet and sultry voice. Selphie looked shocked for a moment before quickly pretending she had a phone call. Sora smacked Roxie for the second time that morning once the bubbly secretary had turned around.

"_You moron!"_ He hissed. "_You promised me you'd be sweet and innocent!"_

"Oh… did you mean now?" Roxie blinked in confusion before Sora rolled his eyes.

"You are so full of shit. Let's just get upstairs." The brunet took long strides to the clear glass elevator.

His office building was in the heart of the wealthy section of the city and it clearly showed. Sleek and modern furniture and architecture littered the entrance and the glass elevator glided down to their floor effortlessly, as if it was floating on air. Roxie whistled as it opened and sent them a gracious "_ping"_ to note its arrival.

"This place is swank." They entered the elevator alone and Sora pressed the button for the seventh floor, which was where his office was. He took pride in the fact that he had his own office and no longer had to work on the eighteenth floor with all the other interns. No, he was a hot-shot author now, and he was going to soak up all of its glories.

Just as soon as he wrote anything worth-while, that was.

The elevator let out another gentle "_ping"_ and opened on the third floor for a woman with indescribable style and sophistication. Her high-waist grey slacks billowed about her legs and her black dress shoes clacked against the stunning tile of the elevator. Her lilac blouse was tucked in to her pants much like Sora's was. He internally threw himself off the top of the building upon seeing his boss.

"Morning, Tifa…" He muttered.

"Sora, what have I told you about copying my outfits?" She raised an eyebrow playfully at the brunet.

"In my defense, I actually owned this one before you did." Sora exclaimed. Roxie did her best to look as small as possible, recognizing Sora's boss from her name and all the description's the brunet had given her. The blonde now realized why Sora wanted her to behave herself. This woman did not look like she messed around. Not a hair was out of place and there wasn't a trace of stress on her person.

"I highly doubt that." She chuckled and handed Sora a binder filled with pictures of applicants and resumes. "I want you to look through this by yesterday. Can you manage that?"

"Yesterday? Seems a little tight, but I might be able to get it done." Sora cracked a smirk in his boss' direction. She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. Her black hair artfully draped down her back in one long swooshing motion. Roxie nearly swooned with jealousy.

"Very funny, Mr. West."

"No, I mean it! I've already met one of the applicants!" Sora beamed happily. Tifa's eyebrow raised even further.

"Oh?" She mused.

"Yeah, actually, she's right behind you…" Sora mumbled before turning to face Roxie. The blonde had been able to hide in the back of the elevator as it made its ascent up to the seventh floor; not that the ride was over it was a bit harder for her to blend in.

"Hello, Ma'am. My name is Roxas Hart." Roxie extended her hand and gave Tifa a firm, yet submissive, handshake. Just like Sora had told her to do.

"Roxas?" Tifa questioned the man's name.

"Please, call me Roxie." Rox uttered flawlessly with-out missing a beat. She then gave Tifa one of her signature smiles. She mustered up all the sweetness and innocence she could put into a single facial expression and forced it out. She could see her reflection in Tifa's eyes and nearly melted herself from how perfectly adorable she looked smiling like that. Roxie gave herself an internal victory dance; that degree in theatre had paid off.

"Roxie… Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Tifa Lockhart, the chief editor for CityRise Publishing." Tifa grinned in return and it was only then that Roxie could see a bit of old age in the corners of her eyes on her other-wise flawless face. Sora had told her once that Tifa was forty and no one would have believed it from how she looked.

"Oh, I know all about you. It's always been my dream to work in such a successful publishing house." Roxie spewed out bull-shit.

"Well, if it's success you're after, you came to the right place." Tifa smirked and gracefully exited the elevator. Sora was right on her heels and quickly threw away the picture of Roxas as a male that was in his binder. Roxie strutted through the open glass doors and took a deep breath. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

After hours of interviewing applicants and asking the same questions over and over, Sora was about ready to throw himself out of one of the windows. Tifa sat with her ankles crossed and her pen resting artfully above her ear. Sora wondered how she always seemed composed no matter what the situation.

"We've looked at over twenty applicants and not a single one stands out to me." She muttered before taking the pen from behind her ear and crossing off the name of the last interviewee that had left the room. Sora stretched before he attempted to work some sort of magic.

"What about the woman in the elevator?" He asked innocently. Tifa scoffed.

"The blonde one? She seemed very… peculiar. There was something about her that I just couldn't put my finger on, almost as if she had a big secret that she didn't want anyone to know." Tifa put the end of her pen in between her lips and chewed on it for a moment in thought.

"A secret? What would she be hiding?" Sora chuckled and pretended like he wasn't terrified that Tifa could see through Roxie's skirt.

"I'm not sure… Maybe I am being a _bit_ paranoid." Tifa shrugged before placing the pen behind her ear again. "Go fetch her, will you? I'll conduct her interview alone."

Sora's heart leapt into his mouth before he walked as calmly as he could out of Tifa's office and into the small waiting room outside. He found Roxie sitting just as Tifa had been, minus the pen. The brunet could feel his pulse go back to normal when he inspected how his best friend had adapted a personality to match what Tifa would expect of a submissive, compliant, and enthusiastic assistant. Roxie could play the part and would get the job if she managed to keep her sex a secret from Sora's boss.

"It's all you, Rox. Play it cool, okay?" Sora begged her before extending his hand for the blonde to grab. She laced her fingers around his hand and used it to help herself up. She then flipped her hair over her shoulder, adjusted her blazer, and smoothed out her skirt. The finishing touch was a devilish smile in Sora's direction.

"Sor-rah, when have I ever let you down before?" She winked and strutted to the door. Sora groaned as she entered and sealed both their fates.

* * *

Riku Docken woke up at the ideal time of three in the afternoon. He rolled over in bed and stretched his arms against the silk sheets. When he made contact with another body he instantly recoiled in a panic, wondering who the hell could be in his bed. When a wet tongue made its way to his face, though, and began to attack him with affection, he laughed.

"Yuck!" He grabbed the husky by the scruff and playfully put their heads together, stopping her intense licking. "You're an absolute terror, Kida. Do you know that? Huh? Do yah, girl?" Riku happily rolled around with the dog in bed. Kida barked and attempted to lick her master once more. The Silveret climbed out of bed before she could get the chance, though.

"_Riku!"_ A very familiar and annoying voice called to him from beyond the hotel room door. Riku groaned and looked through the peep-hole to see Axel beaming at him on the other side.

"What do you want?" Riku called out while putting on some pants. Kida, upon hearing Axel's voice, was now scratching at the door despite all of the Silveret's scolding.

"Xemnas wants us downstairs in the board room in ten minutes, so I figured I'd wake your lazy ass up." Axel knocked on the door, signaling that he wanted to be let in. Kida barked in response and Riku opened the damn thing just to stop both of their noise.

"What does Xemnas want us for? We finished the tour; I thought this was supposed to be our week off!" Riku growled angrily. He had just been traveling across the country for seven months with performances almost every night and was sick and tired of being ushered from this place to that without any say. Sure, the tour had offered his band a once in a lifetime experience to get their name out there, and _sure_, they were now the most successful and popular band in the industry, but couldn't he get one damn _day_ to himself for a break?

"I have no idea but he seemed pretty serious. If I were you I'd get ready fast. Or, if you feel so inclined, just go down like that." Axel made reference to the fact that Riku was now only wearing black sweatpants that had been crammed into the bottom of one of his various suitcases. The Silveret flipped off his best friend before throwing a shirt over his head and giving Kida a treat. He then closed the hotel door and entered the main living area of the master suite him and Axel were sharing.

"Fine. I'll go. But I want some damn coffee first." Riku rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his long silver locks. It was going to be a long Thursday.

* * *

Rox got the job and managed to impress Tifa so much that the blond started that day. The brunet and his friend were back in the Rusty Stallion, headed toward one of the most expensive hotels in the city on some important business assignment that neither of them could figure out. Tifa had been very secretive about what the assignment exactly entailed.

"And you said I couldn't do it as Roxie." Rox scoffed while she adjusted her wig. She re-applied her lip-stick while Sora rolled his eyes.

"No, I _didn't_. What I _said_ was that Tifa wanted a male assistant. But then you managed to pull an entire new personality out of your ass and scored yourself the job. But, joke's on you, because now you have to act like someone you're not Monday through Friday, eight in the morning until five at night." The brunet reminded his friend and smirked.

"But that's the fun of it, don't you see?! At the Cabaret I'm exactly who I want to be and there's no challenge in that. Sure, I get to sing and dance and I love both those things. But, with this job, I get to use my acting skills! How sweet is that?" Roxie asked, completely thrilled.

Sora was amazed by how easily his friend could find the bright side in every situation. Sora, on the other-hand, was a realist. All he could see was the trouble they could get in if anyone found out that Roxas was a man. All he could think of was how their second jobs might interfere with their quality of work at the publishing house. He was terrified of getting caught. There was so much risk that came with being part of the Cabaret, but it was a life that Sora couldn't seem to give up.

"It'll be alright, Sor-rah. Just have a little faith for once in your life." Roxie clasped his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile, practicing her astonishing ability to seemingly always know what was on the brunet's mind. "Everything is going to be fine. We'll make it work."

"But how in the hell are we going to manage working until four in the morning every Thursday night and still be ready to go at seven every Friday morning? I know we both need the money, and I love the Cabaret as much as you do, but I just don't know how well this is going to work out…" Sora replied.

"If there's a will there's a way! Maybe we'll just have to start doing some hard drugs. That way we'll never have to sleep or eat." Roxie joked. Sora frowned and reached his arm over to shove his friend playfully, keeping the other on the wheel.

"You're an idiot." The brunet and blonde laughed as they pulled in to the hotel's valet parking.

* * *

"You've got to be shitting me." Riku was livid. Not only had he been called down from his relaxing (and hard-earned, mind you) vacation, he was now being told the worst news of his life.

"It's just a biography. We're not even doing a film like the label wanted us to. I told them you'd destroy all the tapes before they could piece it together." Xemnas explained to the Silveret.

Xemnas was the band's manager and had never steered them wrong before. Riku, however, could not believe that he was actually suggesting that the Silveret allow some piss-nosed higher-than-thee author write a biography on his life and the whole band's lives too. Who did he think he was, inviting a random stranger into all of Riku's personal affairs? Not that Riku had many personal affairs; anyway, seeing as being in such a popular band took up almost all of his time. But if he did have any, then _damn it_, he wasn't letting some stupid writer dissect them all for the public to see!

"This is the best way to get _The World that Never Was_' name out there." Tifa, who had been helping Xemnas describe the idea of the project, stated. Riku snorted and crossed his arms.

"You said we'd get a break!" Demyx, the bassist, whined. Their manager rubbed his temples in frustration.

"You're still going to get one, actually. A longer one, at that. This book will take six months to write and in that time I don't have any concerts, shows, or tours planned. I want you guys to chill out, help this guy write, and write your own stuff, too. I need some new music to put out when this book hits the shelves. With a biography to read and a new album to listen to the public will go absolutely nuts about you guys."

"The public already is nuts about us!" Axel exclaimed. Of all the members he was the most obsessed with fame. He was always camera ready and loved to be interviewed and have his picture taken. This book would probably be a dream come true for him. Someone asking him every detail of his life and snapping photos of him every four seconds? Right up Axel's alley. Riku's? Not so much.

The Silveret liked to sing and play music. So did Axel, keep in mind, as they both were the front-men of the band. But Riku had a special connection with the music they performed. He wanted each and every song to mean something to him, not just be catchy and sell in stores. He didn't mind the paparazzi, but they weren't his closest friend like Axel.

"But you guys will be old news fast unless you keep it up. You can't just fade out. You need to stay relevant." Tifa countered Axel. The red head rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, mirroring Riku.

"Fine. We'll do the book." Marluxia, the keyboardist, began to get up from his seat at the large granite table they were all sitting around. Their plush leather chairs were the best money could buy, and the hotel had not held back their pocket-book when meeting the "needs" of the band. Riku couldn't stand the lavishness of everything. They were just people, after all. But Axel ate that shit up like candy.

"We will not!" Riku retorted before getting up to leave as well. Just as Xemnas was about to lay down the law with the Silveret there was a sharp knock on the door. A key turned in the lock (as it had been kept that way so fans couldn't sneak inside) and a hotel attendant voiced his presence. Xemnas barked at him to let the guests inside.

A very ashen looking Brunet and a stunning blonde entered the room. Well, the blonde entered, anyway. The brunet was more forcibly _pushed_ by his companion until they were standing at the edge of the table.

"Hello, everyone! My name is Roxie Hart!" Rox cheerfully beamed at the table of men and Tifa.

"Good-Afternoon, my name is—" The brunet started to introduce himself in a shaky voice before the Silveret cut him off.

"_Sora West?"_ Riku couldn't believe his eyes. After all these years of searching, his high school boyfriend was standing right in front of him… and he was the piss-nosed higher-than-thee author that Riku was going to come to hate.


	2. Chapter 2

_The sun streamed through the glass of Sora's windshield while the wind whipped his brown spikes this way and that. The car swerved around the edges of the glistening lake at the slightest movement of the brunet's fingers on the wheel. Roxas let out a holler and unbuckled his seatbelt, standing up in Sora's parent's convertible so that the wind attacked him aggressively and he could shout to the sky. Sora's face split into an undeniable grin at his new best friend's call for adventure. _

_The pair was on their very first road trip heading to Rox's cabin for the weekend. It was the summer before their senior year of college and they had every intention of partying as hard as they could before school started the next week. They were planning on meeting their friends, Leon and Cloud, at the cabin, and Blaze was coming the next day with Kairi in tow because they couldn't get the whole weekend off of work. The blond and the brunet didn't mind, though, because it gave them an excuse to spend time together, which had become their new favorite thing._

_They had been friends since their freshman year of college when Sora accidentally walked in on Roxas in the shower room and the two collided into a slippery and embarrassed heap on the floor. Lately, though, they had found that they were growing fonder of each other's company. That's what college was for, after all. Many think the four years is for an education and the gain of skills you can later use to nab yourself a career and a future, but Roxas thought of college as a far more social experience._

_The sun continued to stream as the radio changed songs. Sora didn't recognize the tune by the first few chords. _I don't think I've heard this before_, he thought to himself, as the guitar part picked up after the first synthesized notes. He cringed, though, when he heard the words._

_**Sunday morning at the door, you were coming back for more, we were kicking it all around. I was looking in your eyes, you thought it was justified. You said, mo-m- mo-mo-mo-more!**_

"_Oh man, I love this song! Turn it up!" Roxas whooped and returned to his seat just to fiddle with the volume. He then bolted upright and back into the air, clutching to the frame of the windshield as he joyfully beamed into the strong wind._

_**Don't stop, don't change, stay beautiful. One life, today, you're irresistible. Get up, get out, stay wonderful. All this time is waiting for you, don't stop, don't change, stay beautiful.**_

_Sora would have closed his eyes if he could, but he was driving and needed to pay attention. He hated hearing the familiar voice that used to sing to him over the phone, and through the window, and while in the car driving around just as he was doing now…_

_**One more, day like this. One more, poison kiss. One more, hand to fist. I will run to you. Always, first in line. Always, on my mind. Always, doing fine. It will come to you.**_

_The brunet slammed his palm onto the power button of the stereo and practically broke it with how much force he used. Roxas swung himself back down into his seat and gave his friend a puzzled look. _

"_Dude, what the hell? I love that song!" Roxas complained while reaching for the power button._

"_Don't!" Sora snapped when he noticed his friend's hand. Roxas instantly recoiled and Sora sighed heavily. "Please… just don't turn it back on."_

"_You don't like _The World That Never Was?_" Roxas asked earnestly. Sora could have cried the idea was so humorous to him._

"_Not very much, no. Let's just talk, okay?" He asked, trying to get this friend's mind off of the song and on to anything else._

"_Okay. Well why don't you like them? They're my favorite band! They're so fresh and new." Roxas snuggled into his seat and kicked his feet up on the dashboard. He was right, after all. Riku's band had just signed their record deal a year before. They had been pumping out new music like crazy, though, and teenagers and young adults were scooping up those songs like they were candy. They practically were like candy to the ears, anyway. The tunes were always catchy and entertaining; Riku was a fabulous musician and Axel wasn't too far behind._

"_Roxas… we're friends, right?" The brunet asked, hesitant._

"_Of course, Sor-rah." Roxas scoffed, as if the question had nearly offended him. Sora took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. He tightened his grip on the wheel and tried to convince himself h wasn't crazy._

"_I need to tell you a story…"_

* * *

Riku stormed into his hotel room and locked the door behind himself, effectively keeping Axel trapped behind the wooden slab. The red-head knocked valiantly, but his efforts were in vain. Riku wasn't letting him in no matter how hard he tried.

"Riku, we need to talk about this!" Axel gave up trying to pound his fists against the frame and instead rested his forehead on the slab. He knew it was useless to try and get Riku to talk. His best friend had never been one for deep conversation, especially when he wasn't in the mood for chatting. But Axel knew that what had happened in the conference room was something that couldn't be avoided.

"No we don't! Go the hell away!" Riku screamed from beyond the door before furiously walking away. Kida, confused as to why her normally loveable master was in such a fit of rage, pranced after the Silveret as he stomped his way to the bathroom. He locked her outside the door too, though; when he slammed it closed and padded his way across the bathroom tile.

Riku looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was slightly tangled because he hadn't brushed it after waking up. His face was screwed up into a thin grimace that set his normally attractive features into the realm of anger. There was a blaze of fire behind his aqua eyes. He glared at his reflection and whirled away from the glass. Ripping off his clothing, he practically dove into the shower and turned the water on.

The cold water startled his skin into goose bumps at first. He let it fall on his face and trail down the rest of his body until it turned warmer. He stepped out of the spray and suck to his knees on the cold tile of the hotel bath.

_How could this happen to me?_ He thought angrily.

* * *

"The_ Riku Docken? Like, the famous bad-boy lead singer for _The World That Never Was?" _Roxas stared at his friend, dumb-founded. Sora nodded._

"_You don't believe me, do you?" The brunet asked. The blond was speechless for a moment._

"_I want to believe you, because you've never lied to me before… but it's just insane, dude." Roxas shook his head._

"_Look in my wallet." Sora sighed and handed the black leather over to the passenger side of the car. Roxas took it hesitantly and opened it up. Sora wallet was always filled to the brim, but he figured it was just filled with stupid fliers from around school or with wads of cash from holidays. When he truly took a look inside, though, he found something far different. The large amount of paper in Sora's wallet consisted of a dozen or so letters. All of them were in the same hand-writing and signed by the same person._

"_Holy shit… These are all of the band's most popular songs. And they're signed! Signed by Riku himself!" Roxas exclaimed while inspecting each little folded up sheet as closely as he could._

"_I know. I wasn't lying. He and I… we used to date." Sora bit his lip and waited for the rejection from his friend. Being gay wasn't allowed. It wasn't right. It was dirty and sick and wrong._

"_He loved you, didn't he? These songs are all about you. The song we just listened to, there's a letter right here for it. Is that why you turned it off?" Roxas asked, avoiding the fact that Sora had just came out to him. The brunet tried not to over-think the lack of reaction from his friend._

"_We didn't exactly break up on the best of terms." Sora blinked back tears while thinking about that fateful night that had crushed every single one of his high-school dreams._

"_You loved him too, didn't you? I can hear it in your voice. Oh, Sora, I'm so sorry." Roxas comforted the brunet as tears spilled down his cheeks. Sora kept his eyes focused on the road and the sunset and forced the memory of that night out of his head._

"_Yeah… I loved him."_

* * *

"I told you once and I will tell you again, I am _not_ taking you off this project, Sora." Tifa sounded exasperated as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and rolled up the window to her car. The Brunet watched, horrified, as she put the car into gear and drove away from the hotel. Roxie clasped Sora's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

"Come on, Sor-rah. It won't be that bad. You'll have me there the whole time!" Roxie exclaimed, trying to comfort her best friend. Sora shook his head as they started walking back to the Rusty Stallion.

"'It won't be _that bad'; _Riku Docken ruined my life!" Sora closed his eyes and placed his hand over his lids, frantically trying to rub away the start of his headache. The pair climbed into the car and shut the doors, sealing themselves into silence from the bustle of the city outside.

"So you had a bad break-up? Oh well! You're getting married, Sora. You can't let what happened between you and a high-school boyfriend ruin your entire career! This could be your big break!" Roxie tried to explain as calmly as she could, but calm wasn't exactly the blonde's strong suit.

"Well, it won't be anything if Riku doesn't consent, and from the way he screamed '_Take your damn biography and shove it',_ and then stormed out of the room, I highly doubt he's going to consent." Sora recalled the Silveret's explosive response to Sora being the author he was going to have to work with for the next six months.

"Maybe you should try talking to him…" Roxie mused.

"Excuse me?" Sora scoffed. There was no way in hell he was going to talk to the man who broke his heart and ruined his ability to trust people.

"Look, if you're going to do this book you have to be on good terms with him. Didn't you tell me that he sent you letters filled to the brim with song lyrics all about you?" Roxie crossed her arms.

"Well, yeah. But that didn't make it any better!" Sora cried out.

"And didn't those songs go on to become some of the band's most famous hits?" Rox asked, trying to pull the right answer out of the brunet.

"Of course they did. But that doesn't mean anything, Rox. Why are you bringing this up?" Sora became irritated with his over-intrusive friend.

"Because Riku owes most of his success to his break-up with you! If he hadn't have gone through that he'd have nothing to write about, wouldn't have all those hit songs, and he wouldn't be the front-man of the most popular band in the entire world right now!" Roxie seemed proud of herself for coming to the conclusion, but it didn't sit right with Sora.

"So, essentially, you're trying to tell me that he owes me this book? Because I made him famous?" He raised an eyebrow and quickly switched lanes to get into the parking lot of their apartment building.

"Yes! Now you get it!" Roxie beamed. "Talk to him. He ruined your life, Sor-rah. You _deserve _this book."

* * *

"_I'm a girl." Roxas blurted out._

"_Um, what? No you're not. I've seen you naked. Remember how we met?" Sora wiped tears from his cheeks and smiled in fondness at his best friend. The blond shook his head, though._

"_I mean it… I like to dress up like a girl. I don't know why, but I always have. I go out to clubs sometimes by myself, and I don't let anyone know I'm going… and I just dance. I dance and I have a good time and no one knows I'm not actually Roxie." The blond explained, sheepishly hiding his face from view._

"_Oh…" Sora tried to process the information he had just received._

"_And I like men, too. Even if I feel like a girl sometimes liking men makes me gay. I know that it's supposed to be wrong. I know that most everyone thinks it is. But… I think that love had no boundaries, Sora. If you loved Riku then you _loved_ him. And I'm sorry that whatever happened between you two happened. I want you to tell me about it someday, though. I know how lonely it is, never being able to tell a soul who you really are because you're afraid they'll hate you for something you can't help. But you and me… we're two in the same now. We're inseparable. We're unique."_

* * *

Riku stayed in the shower for an hour. He didn't wash himself or shampoo his hair while he was inside, though. He stayed completely still, leaning against the wall and hanging his head between his knees.

Of all the people in the world it could have been, it was Sora West. It was the brown-haired, blue-eyed, pouty-lipped Sora who had been haunting him for the past decade. He knew that Sora had wanted to be a writer back in their senior year, but he never thought the brunet would actually do it. Sora's parents had wanted him to become an engineer, hadn't they? Riku tried to remember, but it was all so long ago. Ten long years…

He had written thousands of songs about Sora in that amount of time. Some of them were good, some of them were bad. He had sent a hundred of the good ones to the brunet himself before he changed his address and fell off the face of the Earth. Riku had the resources to find him, sure. Yet, he couldn't help but think that Sora didn't want Riku to find him. The Silveret promised himself he'd start storing the letters instead and never again try to send them to his ex-boyfriend. It was difficult, but he had managed it.

But now Sora had been standing in front of him, flesh and blood, and Riku couldn't believe it. He had no intentions of ever seeing Sora again in his life after making that promise. It used to be all he dreamed about, years ago, but he had given up on that hope when he turned twenty-one. Three years of Sora never replying to the letters wore him down and turned him bitter. He started to hate the boy with brown hair, blue eyes, and pouty lips. So now, to see him standing there so vividly alive and well with a blush on his cheeks and such a timid entrance, shook the Silveret to his core.

He remembered the Brunet as being the happiest and loudest person on Earth. He came from a mixed family filled with Italian blood on his mother's side and French blood on his father's. There was nothing quiet or timid in Sora's heritage. He had been bright and practically radiated warmth like the sun. Sora's smile could bring someone back from the dead, and it had worked on Riku a thousand times. Why, then, was Sora so scared when he entered the room? That wasn't the boy he remembered. It wasn't the boy he had idolized for so long. Sora wasn't someone who was frightened by others. He was the most cheerful and out-going person in the world. What had happened to him?

Riku was desperate to know everything about Sora, actually, not just why he was suddenly carrying his tail between his legs. He wanted to know the brunet's favorite food. He wanted to know if he still loved hot showers or if his ankles still cracked every time he went up the stairs. Ten long years had made the once love of his life a complete stranger. Riku was parched for knowledge and had no way of quenching his thirst. The Brunet was supposed to be finding out _his _life story, after all.

He was disgusted with the idea of someone prying and poking at his personal life, but for it to be the lover he had lost so long ago? He couldn't manage it. There was no way in hell that he could be in a room with Sora for more than five minutes without screaming or crying. Too much had been left unsettled between them and the brunet had made no effort to fix it while Riku tried desperately. Hadn't Sora felt the same way about him? They were each other's first everything. First date. First kiss. First love. First time. That had meant something to Riku. It had to have meant something to Sora.

_Of course it did, idiot. That's why he hates your guts. You abandoned him._ Riku thought to himself with a toxic mix of guilt and bitterness. It wasn't his fault, though. The band needed him one hundred percent and they couldn't have a gay front-man. There would have been no chance in hell of their record deal going though if Xemnas had known Riku's dirty little secret. Loving another man was practically illegal. The Silveret could have kissed his fame goodbye if the world found out.

Knowing he "had to do it" didn't make it any easier, though.

* * *

"_So was he any good?" Roxas asked while sucking on his sea-salt ice cream. The brunet had allowed him to purchase it at the gas station only after covering the passenger seat with napkins in-case the blond spilled._

"_What do you mean?" Sora responded, confused. _

"_Like, in the sack." Roxas replied casually while his best friend sputtered and choked._

"_Roxas! That's crude!" Sora's face blushed bright red and the blond laughed giddily._

"_That means yes! Tell me all about it!" Roxas turned in his seat so he could watch his friend's facial expressions better. Sora didn't normally open up to people about these sorts of things. Well, he had actually _never_ opened up about this kind of thing. Roxas was the first person he had ever told that he was gay._

"…_Okay. But you have to promise to never tell a soul!" Sora demanded._

"_Sor-rah, I just told you that I'm a tranny with no doubts at all about whether or not you'd share my secret, and you're worried that I'm going to tell everyone you've had sex? You're so silly sometimes." Roxas rolled his eyes._

"_Okay-okay. I get it. You're not going to tell." The brunet laughed and bit his lip, wondering where to begin. "Should I start with the kinky shit?" Sora asked. Roxas squealed with delight._

* * *

Riku had left the bathroom and was now snuggled up in bed with Kida. He had no plans on moving from this spot for any given amount of time in the foreseeable future.

"You know, girl, sometimes I miss sharing a bed with more than a dog." Riku muttered under his breath. His sudden and unexpected run-in with Sora had pushed his loneliness to the surface of his pool of emotions. It was swirling around on the top, demanding to be paid attention to, and no matter how hard the Silveret tried to ignore that gnawing feeling in his chest, he just couldn't. He was lonely. He hadn't been in a relationship since his senior year of high school. He hadn't slept in the same bed with another person since Xemnas had screwed up their hotel arrangements and scored Riku and Axel a room with only one bed. He hadn't had sex in ten years. Sora was his first and his only. It made a little more sense as to why Riku was so obsessed with the brunet. He didn't have anyone else to think about.

Riku had gotten Kida as a gift from his mother five years before. He had thanked her and tried to get rid of the little husky puppy that very afternoon because dogs were a nuisance and he had no time to be bothered with things like regular walks and feeding schedules. Kida proved to be a blessing, though, when the tiny bit of routine began to run Riku's days. He'd make Xemnas schedule events around the dog's life. He began to ruthlessly fight to bring Kida with him everywhere and never left her at home for more than a few days. He refused to sleep without her, too, because otherwise the beds in all the hotels were just too damn strange and too damn big.

Nights were the hardest when he wasn't busy with concerts or tour buses or after-parties. Night was when the cold crept underneath his covers and attacked his bare skin because there was no warm body next to him to keep it at bay. There was no soft skin to caress, no blankets being stolen, no soft breathing of another person. Riku was alone. Utterly, and completely, alone.

He missed companionship and he missed sex. Seeing Sora had brought these faults in his life right in front of his eyes so that he could do nothing but stare at them. He remembered what it felt like to hold the brunet. He remembered what it felt like to have soft lips upon his own. He remembered how it felt to have indescribable warmth encase him and have Sora so close they were nearly one being…

Had it really been ten years since he had gotten laid? _How pathetic… most famous man on Earth and you can't even get it in._ Riku was bitter, but he knew the true reason. He couldn't sleep with anyone because they could leak to the press that he was gay. He sacrificed a love life for the life of fame and fortune. Mostly, he didn't regret it. But sometimes he wondered if it was worth it all. He wondered if the riches, the parties, the reputation… he questioned if it was worth going to bed every night alone.

The Silveret was a man of reason. He was normally so controlled and it took quite a bit in order to get him to feel something more than indifference. Music was one of the only things that spoke to him on an emotional level, which may have been why he loved it so deeply. The other thing that had been able to crack through his shell was Sora, and the love that came along with the brunet. But that love was gone and now there were only haunting memories of how Riku used to feel. The grief was enough to tear through his rough exterior that normally kept him protected from pesky things like emotions and feelings.

He hated that just the _sight_ of Sora was able to break him.

* * *

Roxie and Sora walked into the apartment and noticed the rancid smell coming from the kitchen almost immediately. The brunet turned to glower at his friend.

"I _told_ you to take the garbage outside!" Sora complained while running into the tiny kitchen area. There sat the garbage, miserably leaned over onto the floor and expelling one of the foulest odors the brunet had ever encountered.

"I didn't know it was urgent! You said we had to go!" Rox made reference to Sora's haste that morning. The brunet huffed angrily and then began to hold his breath. He threw the trash bag at Roxie and turned around to clean up what it had spilled onto the tile floor. He heard a soft scream come from behind him, though, and immediately whirled around.

"Oh, shit! Rox, I'm so sorry!" Sora burst out in-between a fit of giggles. The trash bag was over-stuffed (as usual, since both the men were too lazy to take it down stairs, outside the building, and all the way to the garbage) and had burst on contact with the blonde. She stood with a horrified expression on her face as trash juices and assorted decomposing food bits soaked into her clothes and ran down her skin.

"You're going to pay for that, West!" Roxie roared and kicked off her heels so she could chase Sora around the apartment. The brunet was much faster in pants than his friend was in a skirt, though, and effortlessly avoided the blonde's attempts to kill him. He laughed as he slammed his door closed behind himself and locked it. Roxie pounded on the door in anger.

"Go take a shower so we can go to work! We've got one hell of a night ahead of us." Sora sighed in happiness at the childish display from Roxie and began changing his clothes. He listened as the blonde muttered under her breath, hit the door one last time for good measure, and then headed for the bathroom.

Sora had stripped down to his boxers when his phone began to ring. He picked it up and grinned into the speaker.

"Sora West, CityRise Publishing." The brunet hadn't bothered checking the caller ID, so he figured he should answer professionally just in case.

"Ouch, I got the _professional_ answer. Did I do something wrong?" Kairi laughed on the other end of the line.

"No, no! Of course not, Kai. I just forgot to check, that's all. How was your day, snuggle bug?" Sora pulled on his work uniform while he and Kairi chatted about their days and the events which had taken place. She entertained him with a story about how her time was spent with boring clients and old people looking at condos, since she worked in real estate. Sora made up a story about his day. He figured that leaving out the _"I ran into my ex-boyfriend who broke my heart and swore me off of men even though I'm gay" _part would be in both of their favors.

"Well, I'm glad you had such a great day, honey. Do you want to grab a bite to eat later? I might be in the city for a bit…" Kairi used her sexy voice that implied she'd be in the city for very specific reasons, and one of them happened to be attached to Sora. The brunet panicked, though, knowing that it was Thursday.

"Nope, sorry! I have to eat at my parent's house." Sora blurted out while throwing on his shirt.

"Really? You're always there!" Kairi whined, hating how often Sora spent time in his childhood home outside of the city. Little did she know, Sora was actually going to be at the farthest place from his traditional Italian house-hold.

"Sorry, Kai. I really need to go home. I'll chat with you later. I love you." Sora dismissed her complaints and quickly ushered her off the phone so she couldn't ask more questions. He breathed a sigh of relief as he ended the call and set the phone down on his comforter. He stood fully clothed in his work attire. He frowned at himself in the small mirror he had attached to the side of the dresser and quickly threw on a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie to cover up the uniform. No need to scare anyone out on the street.

His phone began ringing again within seconds of him hanging up. The brunet frowned and quickly picked up the call.

"Baby, I love you so, so much. When I say no, though, it means no! We'll fuck another night, okay?" Sora snapped into the mouth-piece. The other line remained quiet for a moment.

"I'm sorry. I must have the wrong number. I'll try again." The line went dead. Sora became tomato red when he realized he recognized the voice on the other end of the line. This time when the phone rang he answered as usual.

"Sora West, CityRise Publishing." He cringed as the man on the other line let out a soft chuckle.

"I knew I didn't get it wrong. Long time no see, huh, Sora?" Riku asked huskily from the other end of the call. Sora could have fainted right then and there from embarrassment.

"How did you get my number?" He asked hastily, remembering how he had cut off all contact with the Silveret right after they broke up.

"I asked your manager, of course. She offered me contact information on both the publishing house and you, since you're going to be the author of this biography and all." Riku spoke coolly and calmly. Sora never knew just how nervous the Silveret was, but, then again, Riku was a master of manipulation. He did it for a living, after-all. He changed people's thoughts and feelings with sounds and words in the form of music, why couldn't he do it in person, too?

"I thought you didn't want the book?" Sora questioned.

"I don't. But—" He paused, "I'm willing to make you a deal." Riku mentioned casually.

"What?" the brunet wondered whether or not his long lost lover was joking.

"A deal, West. I'm willing to cut you a deal."

"…what's in it for me?" Sora hesitantly wondered.

"Well, seeing as I can't find a single published book of yours on public record, I'm imagining this one would make you fabulously wealthy and famous. That's what you want, isn't it? Fame? Fortune?" Riku pondered over the phone line. Sora could vividly remember the way he used to ask multiple questions like that years ago. He would tilt his head ever-so-slightly to the left and stare you down with those gorgeous aqua eyes. The brunet shook his head to rid himself of the image and tried to focus on the task at hand.

"I suppose so. What's in it for you, though? Why the sudden change of heart?" Sora regretted his diction immediately.

"I have all the money a man could ever need and all the fame a man could want. I need neither of those things from this novel." Riku scoffed.

"Then what do you want from me? I don't have anything to offer you…" Sora sat down on his bed and tried to work through all the thoughts buzzing around in his head.

"_It's a secret_…" Riku whispered. Sora's body felt the immediate reaction to the sultry voice.

"What?!" Sora exclaimed before he heard a faint _click_ and the call was over.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the characters of Kingdom Hearts, or the ideas from Kingdom hearts.**

**I also do not own any music lyrics used in chapters.**

**Music this chapter**

**Stay Beautiful- The Last Goodnight**


	3. Chapter 3

Sora stared at the phone in his hands for a few moments. Had Riku really just called him? Had the phantom man, who seemed to be a distant memory until their chance meeting at the hotel, contacted him after all these years? And the things he had said! He talked to Sora as if they had never stopped speaking to each other at all. Casually. Calmly. No trace of awkwardness or unresolved feelings.

_I have all the money a man could ever need and all the fame a man could want._

If Riku had all those things (the brunet knew he did because he couldn't go grocery shopping without seeing the Silveret's face on at least three magazines in the store) he couldn't possibly need Sora for anything. He had little money, little friends, a little apartment, and little reputation. The only things he had of value to him were Roxas, his jobs, and Kairi. His family made the list, too, but Riku wouldn't be interested in them at all. He had been long ago when the two had dated, but now? There was no way he wanted to just "catch up" with them. Sora began to think about his three (four, technically, if you counted his jobs separately) things he cared about.

His job at the publishing house was his passion. He had loved writing from the moment he learned how to spell his own name clumsily and poorly on paper. When he was eight he was creating elaborate stories with characters that faced limitless trials and persevered through them all. By the time he was thirteen he had realized that not every hero won their battles and could think of complex situations where the protagonist faced trials that weren't dragons or monsters but internalized faults. At eighteen years of age he was able to put the most intense and true of feeling into words.

Infatuation. Passion. Desire. Love. Heartache. Depression. Loathing.

Emotions soared from his fingers into a pen and onto a blank piece of paper that was later splattered with words that felt more real to Sora than tears or blood ever could. Writing was an escape for him. He could take all of the terrible and wonderful things Riku made him feel and put them somewhere else instead of in his head and his heart. He couldn't bear to keep those feelings inside himself. Just like his clever protagonists when he was thirteen, there were battles he couldn't win.

So his passion took him to CityRise Publishing, where he quickly ascended from an ass-kissing editorial boy to an ass-kissing author. His only problem was that he hadn't written a book worth anything of real value yet. He had taken all of the _feeling_ that had flowed through his body and shoved it all out onto papers he kept hidden under his mattress and now in the safe in his closet. Those papers could make him millions and he knew that; he refused to give Riku that satisfaction, though. He wasn't going to let the man that tore him to shreds know that he had actually hurt him. He wasn't a hot shot author yet. He would find a way to become one, though. All he needed was a story that he could use to change lives.

His other job was far less life changing. Sora loved it all the same, though. The cabaret was his escape from all the horrors of society. It was his own personal island of isolation where all of the world's pressures melted off of him. Well, his own personal island that Kairi could never know about.

Kairi was a grey area for Sora. She was pretty, intelligent, and fun. Kairi liked her space—Sora loved to cuddle. Kairi liked to party—Sora loved to stay in. Kairi liked to sleep around—Sora wanted to be in a closed relationship. Kairi liked to manipulate people—Sora was so easily manipulated. Kairi hated gay people—Sora liked _men_. They got along smashingly so long as Sora kept his mouth shut and pleasantly nodded at all the right times. _I love her. I truly love her. Well, at least I _think_ I love her._

Roxas was the last and most important thing he cared about. Sora began to think fondly of his bubbly and blond friend just as the devil himself came pounding at his door, fresh out of the shower.

"Hurry up or we're going to be late!" Roxas knocked loudly and then proceeded to wiggle the knob for added effect. Sora opened the door with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm ready. Chill." He stepped out of his room and closed the door behind himself. Roxas (who hadn't yet changed into his female attire, but was wearing a wig cap and foundation) made a clicking noise of distaste with his tongue.

"Your sweatpants don't match your shirt." Rox wandered over to the bathroom and stepped inside after flicking on the light. Sora rolled his eyes once more and made his way into the kitchen to grab a quick bite to eat before heading to work for the night. He couldn't eat after eight in the evening because he would look fat in his uniform. He wouldn't get tipped if he looked bad. He knew the drill.

"Does it look like I give a fuck?" He asked his friend playfully before continuing. "I'm just going to take it off anyway." He mentioned matter-of-factly.

"_Sor-rah,_ don't talk like _that!_ You _know_ what it does to me!" Roxas pretened to moan from inside the bathroom. For the third time in just a few minutes time-span, the brunet rolled his eyes. He took one of the mixing spoons from the jar on the counter and threw it into the bathroom, hitting hit friend in the arm. Roxas yelped in more surprise than pain and threw the utensil back.

"You are so full of shit. You know that, Hart?" Sora washed the spoon off and placed it back in its container. His best friend simply chuckled while fixing her wig. Sora knew the moment that the long hair touched Rox's shoulders he was no longer Roxas but Roxie instead. He could wear all the make-up he wanted and heels four feet tall, but if he wasn't wearing that wig he wasn't Roxie. It was the brunet's only way to tell and he hadn't been wrong thus far.

"I actually just went to the bathroom, so that's impossible." Roxie smiled at him cheekily.

"I'm rooming with a comedian! Boy, did I luck out or _what_? And to think I thought you were useless." He grabbed the keys to the Rusty Stallion before Roxie could and started for the car. The blonde was hot on his trail.

"I don't appreciate your sarcasm, West. Especially not when I pay a majority of the bills around here." Roxie teased. Sora snorted and shuffled down another flight of stairs out of the apartment.

"The hell you do. If it weren't for the publishing house we'd both be out on our asses." He reminded him.

"Hey! I make decent money at the cabaret and you know it! People tip me like crazy." Roxie whined while sliding into her seat. The sunset streamed into the car and both of them put their visors down to avoid being blinded.

"Roxie, it's not called tipping. Getting paid for what you do makes you practically a prostitute." Sora made the car roar to life and turned on the radio as he pulled out. After the first few chords of the song Rox shut it off.

"It's a new song. You wouldn't like it much." He mentioned casually.

"It's by them, isn't it?" The brunet asked warily.

"Duh, Sor-rah." Roxie rolled her eyes while adjusting her hoodie. The hot pink material made her seem paler than normal because she was missing all of her stage make-up. She'd be covered head to toe in the stuff soon enough.

"Let's turn it back on. I want to hear it." Sora reached for the radio but Rox swatted his hand away. Her nails were freshly painted. Sora hadn't noticed before. "No, seriously. I want to hear it." Sora turned the radio on and let the music fill the car.

**Tongues always pressed to your cheeks while my tongue is on the inside of some other girls teeth. Tell your boyfriend, if he says he's got beef… That I'm a vegetarian and I ain't fucking scared of him.**

"Oh, how delightful." Sora scowled and turned off the radio. They were nearly at the cabaret anyway.

"That one's my favorite member." Roxie swooned and smiled stupidly in her seat.

"Axel? The _'fiery red-head with a need for speed and a love for the ladies'_? " Sora quoted the covers of magazines.

"Yeah…" Roxie practically melted at just the thought of him.

"He likes _women_. And he's famous."

"So? Can't a girl dream?"

"Perfect. He's your dream date and Riku's my worst nightmare. What could go wrong with us doing their interviews?" The brunet muttered cynically. Roxie frowned in his direction.

"A hell of a lot can go wrong if you keep up a bad attitude like that. You can't change what's happening, but you _can_ change how you react to it. You're always telling me that Riku has no hold over you anymore. So prove it. Do his interviews. Make him see how unaffected you are." She suggested while they pulled into their parking spot. Sora ducked his head as he got out of the car.

"Have I ever told you that sometimes you're not a blabbering idiot?" Sora asked before grabbing his bag out of the backseat. Roxie came around the other side and smacked him on the head. Sora turned around to hit her back but stopped when he heard a loud shout aimed toward him.

"Cut it out, West! If you hurt our lead dancer's face I'm taking it out of your paycheck." A menacing voice called from the back door to the cabaret. Hidden away from the main road there wasn't a soul who knew the cabaret existed except for those who were supposed to. From the outside it looked like an abandoned Asian food market that no one ever went to. On the inside it was the perfect haven for those who weren't allowed to walk the streets.

"Oh shut up, Squall." Sora skipped up the concrete steps into the shady entrance of the cabaret. It was dimly lit and now that the sun was setting he could hardly see without the lights on. Leon would wait until night-time to throw them on, though, to avoid attention from people who may be out walking on the streets. He had kept his cabaret a secret for five years now, and he was too cautious to ever let the secret out.

"Don't call me Squall." The other brunet frowned and patted Sora on the back as he passed him in the narrow entry-way. When Roxie stepped up and through he gave the blonde a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh don't be such a sour-puss, Leon." Roxie smiled at him happily and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek in return for his own. She stepped past him and entered the door on the right that led to the dressing room. Inside there were women and men all getting ready for the night's show. A particular man caught Roxie's attention and she ran up to him gleefully.

"Hello-hello, Little Miss Hart!" Cloud swung the blonde around and quickly escorted her to her chair. He laid out all of her make-up for the night and scurried off to grab her out-fits.

"You'd think it's been years since she's seen you guys." Sora smiled as he leaned in the doorway. Leon came up behind him after closing the cabaret's main door and locking it tight. Admission to the show wasn't until ten and it was only eight or so. Didn't need anyone stumbling in to something they didn't want to see.

"We haven't heard from you guys since Sunday morning. That's a whole four days. Might as well be an eternity in Roxie's world." Cloud chuckled when he came back out of the closet with Roxie's dress for the night. Black. Sleek. Sexy. It was far more subtle than the outfits she usually wore.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not sitting right here." Rox pouted her lips and used the moment to put on her lipstick. Deep red. Very alluring.

Various dancers shuffled about getting ready for the night. Sora had seen plenty of them come and go over the past five years of working in the cabaret. The brunet had been friends with the couple well into their high school days. Riku, Sora, Cloud, and Leon all used to go on secret double dates. He had started as a bartender just to help out Leon and Cloud. They were fresh out of college with nothing more than two theatrical degrees between them. The couple found the empty warehouse and in a drunken fit of brilliance one night they decided to buy it. They turned the place into a business and a haven.

"Don't pout or your face will stick like that." Sora pointed to Roxie accusingly. She bit her lip and went back to putting on her blush.

"Sora, can I ask a favor of you?" Leon clasped his shoulder. Over the past five years Leon and Cloud had become Sora and Roxie's closest friends. Well, _only_ friends, when you think about it. There used to be a large group of them all. Blaze and Kairi… But things change.

"What's up?" Sora left the confinement of the bustling and noisy dressing room and entered the narrow and dimly lit hallway once more. The two brunets passed the ticket box and walked a few feet further into the large open area of the cabaret. They traveled to the bar where a different bartender was behind the counter. He sat on a barstool while counting stock of the alcohol. Sora looked to Leon, confused.

"Um, pretty sure I'm the bartender…" Sora mentioned with a trace of annoyance in his voice. Leon rubbed the back of his head and smiled guiltily.

"We had one of our running boys quit on short notice. And by that I mean he quit today, when he showed up, half an hour ago. I knew a bartender I could call…" Leon started, but Sora crossed his arms and cut him off.

"But not a running boy." He scowled in Leon's direction before walking back toward the dressing room.

"It's just for the weekend, until I can get a new one!" Leon clambered after him, practically knocking over a barstool in the process.

"I'm not a running boy! I'm a bartender. I don't wait tables, I don't hit on guests, and I sure as hell do not wear the outfit!" Sora felt beyond disrespected.

"You'll only have to do the private booths! I'll pay you double all weekend! Triple, if I have to!" Leon called after him. Sora stopped in his tracks and tried to think. Was his dignity really worth thirty dollars an hour?

"Fine. But you owe me." Yes. Yes it was.

* * *

"So where are you taking me again?" Axel laid on Riku's bed while petting Kida and throwing a ball up into the air alternatively. The red-head had been in this position for about an hour—ever since Riku had actually opened the door and let Axel into the sulking room filled with despair and self-loathing. The endless amounts of self-admiration and effortless fun that the tattooed boy exuded had cleared the room of its dark and dismal funk. Riku enjoyed that about his best (and pretty much only) friend.

"It's called _The Cabaret_." Riku stated while towel drying his hair. He had taken a real shower this time. Not just one where he wallowed in the spray of self-pity and hotel water.

"Sounds sexy." Axel wiggled his eyebrows and looked down at his clothes. He was wearing a white t-shirt and some baggy sweatpants he had picked up off of Riku's floor. He frowned. "Should I change?"

"I'm not sure what to expect, actually. I don't want to be over-dressed." Riku stared at his closet with distaste. Had he not packed any of his nice clothes? He had plenty of them for photo-shoots and magazine covers and all the fancy debuts. There seemed to be nothing flattering in his whole suitcase that the band's assistant had so carefully arranged in the closet.

"Maybe Larxene stole something. I've always secretly wondered whether or not she's a man." Axel mused out-loud. He was promptly hit in the stomach with a high heel plummeting at deathly speeds. The frightening blonde stood in the entrance to Riku's room with a permanent smirk on her face.

"Hello, Larxy." Riku tipped an imaginary hat in the woman's direction. She had been the band's personal care-taker for nearly six years now. She liked to think she had a professional job where she was a major asset to the band's success. Everyone in the band liked to think of her as their mother, though. She was strict on curfew and their eating habits. She made all their appointments and cleaned their rooms, picked out their outfits and did their laundry, and even handled all cat-fights between members. She had threatened to kick Riku out of his own band, once. Normally, something like that would be amusing to the Silveret. However, this was Larxene they were dealing with, and she was scary as hell. She could be a calm mama kitty at some points, proud of her little kittens running around wild and taking on the world. Other times… she was an absolute monster with pointy fangs and sharp claws, ready to tear you to shreds if you didn't step back into line.

She smiled at Riku. It was a perfect rich person smile. She had her teeth fixed with all of the money the band paid her to essentially run their lives. Xemnas handled the "band" aspect of _The World That Never Was_ and Larxene handled every little fucking detail other than that. Her rich person smile (with sparkling white teeth straighter than should be natural) and her platinum blonde hair she was gorgeous but deadly. Her smile faded when she turned to address Axel.

"So you think I'm a man, do you?" She snarled.

"I'm sorry, _Mom._" Axel droned out in an annoying voice suited for a twelve-year-old who had just done wrong at the dinner table. Larxene closed her eyes for a moment before throwing her other shoe at the red head. He let out a small shriek of terror before dive-bombing off of the bed and peeking over the edge with Kida at his side. The shoe landed softly on the comforter.

"How old are you, Axel?" She scowled.

"I just turned fwee!" Axel held up three fingers and baby talked to her. Riku suppressed a chuckle in fear of her finding another shoe.

"Well, you sure as hell act like it." She turned her attention to the silveret instead. "How late will you be out? Where are you going? Are you driving or do I need to get a driver for you? Will you be drinking? If you are, then I sure as hell won't let you be driving. What are you wearing?" She spewed forty questions at him all at once. Riku's brain had a hard enough time processing what she had said, let alone finding the answers to the questions.

"We're going to a bar, I'll need a driver, I don't know when we're coming back, we'll be drinking, and I have no idea what I'm going to wear." Riku inhaled dramatically before speaking again. "Happy, Mom?" He smiled cheekily and watched as Larxene's face dropped into a smirk once more.

"_Very._ You two have fun. I'll let you know when I have a driver ready." She picked up her stilettos and clicked her way out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her. Axel came out from hiding and slid back onto the bed. Kida found herself bored with his antics and pranced her way over to her master's side. He crouched down on his legs and rubbed his nose against the soft fur of her face. She tried desperately to give him kisses but he stayed out of her reach.

"She's an absolute Nazi." Axel muttered grumpily before stripping out of his pants and walking to his own room.

"She means well!" Riku called after him and gave Kida a quick hug before standing back up to inspect his closet again. He heard a sharp cry of surprise and then a soft chuckle from outside the open doorway. He turned around to see Larxene standing with one of her shoes in her hand, twirling around menacingly. "Spare me, oh great one?" Riku pleaded half-heartedly while the blonde walked her way over to his closet.

Magically, as if she had been hiding them all along, she pulled out Riku's favorite pair of black jeans. She threw them in his direction and grabbed a pair of studded boots to go with, and a soft linen shirt that hugged his chest in all the right places. Riku stared at her in wonder as she began to leave the room.

"What kind of witch-craft is this?" He muttered to himself once she left. He heard another cry of surprise and assumed she was tormenting Axel once more. Riku rolled his eyes as she changed, knowing that the two of them were like oil and water. It was never going to be seamless.

He inspected himself in the mirror. His black jeans hugged his muscular thighs and tucked into his boots perfectly at the bottom. He had them laced up so the tops flared out a bit and the studs were more noticeable. His linen shirt stretched across his prominent chest and seemed to weave itself against his six-pack as well. Riku wasn't as vain as Axel, but he was damn proud of the body he had worked so hard for. Ten years ago he was too tall for his age and slender as hell. Between his lanky frame and his pale complexion he looked like a walking ghost or skeleton. What had Sora even seen in him?

He cringed when the thought reached his mind. Sure, he was far more attractive in society's view now. Girls drooled over his magazine covers and practically died when Larxene had booked the band a nearly naked photo-shoot. He could have any girl he wanted. Too bad he didn't like girls. Too bad the one man he couldn't get out of his head he had left ten years ago.

"Damn, you clean up nice." Axel remarked. He said the same thing every time Riku was in something other than sweats. The Silveret liked to be comfy even if it was "unprofessional" for a rock star. So sue him.

"Oh, shut up." He turned around to look at Axel. "That's what you're wearing?"

Axel had never really been one for modesty. Tight leather pants and a deep-v t-shirt weren't exactly hiding any of the red-head's assets. He did look good, though, and he had won the nation's "sexiest man of the year award" three times in a row because of it. And to think that none of it had gone to is head at all.

"Yeah! I'm hot as fuck, right?" Okay, so maybe it _had_ gone to his head a _little._

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I find _you_ attractive, you know." Riku rolled his eyes and made a face of disgust.

"And just because I'm straight doesn't mean I can't look at a guy and go 'damn, what a good looking fella', _you know_." Axel remarked while combing through his long hair.

"You better be careful who you say that to, Ax. Not everyone feels that way." The silveret reminded his best-friend cautiously. You could never be too careful.

"Well, everyone is a bunch of idiots. You're Riku, man. You'll always be Riku, no matter who you sleep with. Not that you're sleeping with anyone. Hah!" The red-head poked his friend in the chest and laughed. Riku's face dropped from appreciation at Axel's tolerance to annoyance at his joke.

"Very funny. Hah-hah." He checked his phone and noticed a text from Larxene saying that the driver was ready at the front of the hotel. He ushered Axel out of the room and gave Kida treat before sending Larx a text reminding her to take the dog out.

"I don't see why we need to be chaperoned like some group of sixth graders on a field trip to the zoo. I grew up in this city, man. I know where everything is!" Axel moaned while they waited in the elevator.

"Not everything…" Riku smirked as the elevator descended.

The driver dropped them off at a bar a few blocks away from the cabaret. They went inside and waited for ten minutes before Riku decided the coast was clear. The pair snuck out of the back entrance to the bar and shielded their signature hair and faces as much as possible while walking down the street. No one seemed to take enough time to look at them, though, and therefore they weren't recognized.

"I love that about the city. No one gives a shit what your story is. You're just another person on the street in their way." Axel chuckled and Riku looked around at the bustling sidewalk. The red-head had a point. People knocked shoulders, stepped on toes, and did everything _but_ apologize to the person they had technically assaulted.

They made it to the back entrance of the cabaret by five minutes to eleven. The bouncer outside looked them up and down before the two boys removed their hoods. His face lit up with recognition and he began to speak, but Riku cut him off.

"We were never here, you understand me?" He handed the bouncer five hundred dollars rolled up with a rubber band. The large man chuckled softly and handed the money back.

"Don't you get it? _No one_ was ever here. This place doesn't _exist_." He let the two men in without another thought and once again manned his post after they slid into the narrow and dimly lit hallway. They followed a sickly-sweet smoke trail to the ticket box. A woman sat inside with barely anything covering her chest. Her feet were stuck up on the inside of the glass, as if she had her feet on a dashboard.

"Leon advanced me tickets. They're for Docken." Riku spoke quickly and quietly to the woman. She popped her gum and eyed him up and down before speaking.

"Slow down there, cowboy. Enjoy yourself a little. _Relax_. You're _safe_ here." She slid him his tickets and winked at Axel. The red-head bit his lip and smirked in return. Riku grabbed him by the arm and carried him off to their private booth.

They entered the main room of the cabaret and were shocked to see what it held inside. Regal looking velvet covered much of the walls and the floor was a deep brown wood color. The bar to their left was busy with people sitting and ordering drinks, and also waiters trying desperately to get the lone bartender's attention. He seemed to be going slowly on purpose. He didn't look too thrilled to be behind the counter. Riku's assumptions proved true when he saw the guy take a swig right out of a bottle and then go back to filling orders.

To the right he could see tables everywhere on the bottom floor. It was a split level warehouse. General admission was on the bottom floor where all of the round tables were. Waiters scampered around frantically trying to serve people food or drinks. Riku was grateful he was friends with Leon and Cloud and didn't have to sit with everyone else. Living lavishly had spoiled him to a certain extent.

The pair made their way up the stairs and to their own private section numbered _booth nine._ All of the booths were covered in the back by a separating wall and rich, lavish velvet. Riku ran the material through his fingers and felt the familiar touch of it against his finger tips. He loved that feeling.

"This place is swank as hell. I feel like I'm at an opera or something." Axel pretended to put on a pair of opera glasses and began inspecting everything with them. Riku smacked him lightly.

"The show is about to start. We better get inside." He unlocked the booth with his key he received with the tickets. He stepped inside the room and felt immediately at home by how lavish and comfortable it looked. Axel dove into the booth and landed on the plush leather seat. Reds and golds filled the space with color and a sense of richness Riku adored.

"Dude. Let's come here every day." Axel rolled around on the leather seat and scooted over only so that Riku could sit down. The table in front of them was pure mahogany and was beautifully stained. There was a little button the men could press if they wanted a waiter to take their orders or bring them drinks. The edge of the booth was only a ten or so feet from the stage. No one in the booths next to them could see who they were and no one below could either. It was the perfect amount of seclusion. They could see the stage, the stage could see them, and nothing else.

"Be quiet, it's about to start." Riku hushed his friend and watched as the curtain went up on the stage. The lights dimmed in the cabaret and two burlesque dancers came out. One man, one woman. They did a small dance routine and everyone clapped. Riku hoped that this wasn't all there was to the cabaret his friends had told him so highly about. Leon and Cloud had stated that they had some of the best entertainment a guy (or gal) could want. Riku was bored, though.

"Was it just me or was that not very good?" Axel whispered before hitting the button that called for a waiter. "I bet it's a lot better when you're drunk." He smirked and leaned back in his seat. Riku could use a drink anyway.

"Alright, everyone! If that's what you came to see tonight you might as well leave, because that's not what you're going to get!" Cloud came onto the stage and boomed into a microphone. The audience cheered for his appearance and Axel raised an eyebrow at Riku. The silveret shrugged, pretending he didn't know any better.

"Thank you one and thank you all for coming this fabulous Thursday evening. We have shows running through Saturday night, so if you want to bring your friends or if you liked what you saw—" Leon started as he joined Cloud on the stage.

"Or you just want a place you can spend your money!" Cloud chimed in and the crowd laughed.

"Gosh, how many people are down there? How big is this place?" Axel asked quietly to his friend. Riku shrugged again.

"Then come on back and join us every week for dazzling performances—" Leon spoke again.

"Amazing costumes—" Cloud began.

"And one hell of a night!" The two finished together and bowed before sharing a kiss and leaving the stage. Axel grabbed Riku's arm in worry.

"Dude, aren't they going to get the shit beat out of them for that? You can't just _do_ that!" Axel asked frantically. Riku chuckled softly before reassuring his friend.

"They're going to be fine. They own the place, after all. I'm sure they say the same thing every night. I'm sure all the people that come here are regulars. It's a gay bar, anyway." Riku mentioned casually.

"_You took me to a gay bar?!"_ Axel hissed.

"Yes, yes I did. And it's not so bad, is it? You didn't even know." Riku reminded him. Axel stared at his friend in shock.

"I… I didn't even know…" He turned away from his friend and thought to himself for a moment. "I always pictured gay bars as like giant raves where no one wore any clothes and there were tons of orgies and drugs." He laughed.

"That's society for you. They'll stick anything on us that they can to make us look bad. But what did you just describe?" Riku mocked him.

"I guess I just described an after-party. Full of straight people. Full of famous straight people who do lots of drugs, run around naked, and have orgies." Axel laughed and relaxed in his seat. Riku smiled to himself. His best friend was a reasonable person. He had a lot of conditioning from the world and how it's "supposed" to work, though, and sometimes it was hard for the red-head to fight through that conditioning. "So I'm at a gay bar. That's fine. But why did we come here?" Axel asked curiously.

"I'm really old friends with the people who own it. Leon and Cloud are their names. I've known them since high-school."

"And they got you these tickets?" Axel asked.

"They're practically free. They make all their money off of tips and drinks anyway. The refuse to charge a lot because they hate turning away people who need a refuge." Riku smiled softly at the idea. They had always been such good-hearted people.

"So… gay people flock here because other gay people flock here, and that makes it safe?" Axel asked, confused.

"Of course it does. Who is going to go blabbering that they came to a gay cabaret? They'd get the shit kicked out of them and everyone knows it." Riku laughed as the lights went dim once more.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Kings and Queens! Boys and Girls and everything in-between—I present to you, _Roxie Hart!_" Cloud's voice left the intercom as the stage lit up with a single spotlight.

"Does that name sound familiar to you?" Axel asked in a hushed whisper. Riku shoved his face away with an exaggerated _shhhhhhh_ noise.

The curtain split when a blonde woman in boots up to her thighs and a sleek black dress stepped outside of it and closed it quickly behind her, leaning against it sexily with a small smirk on her face. The music started then, with violins and a solid baseline. She shifted her weight on her legs in time with the beat and leaned deeper into the curtain before singing.

"**Show a little more, Show a little less. Add a little smoke… Welcome to Burlesque!"** Her voice was extraordinary. Riku perked up at hearing her sing (seeing as the sexy display before hadn't really done much for him, being attracted to men and all). **"Everything you dream of but never can possess. Nothing's what it seems… Welcome to Burlesque!"**

"Dude, she's fucking _good_." Axel said in disbelief. Roxie was making her way from the curtain to a lone mic on the stage. She strut her way there slowly while singing.

"**Oh, everyone is buying- Put your money in my hand. If you got a little extra, well, give it to the band." **She finished her walk to the microphone and danced skillfully along with the musician's instrumental solo. Riku could acknowledge that everything she was doing was perfect. She knew how to flow with the music. She knew how to sing. She knew how to work a crowd.

"**Something very dark is playing with your mind. It's not the end of days- It's just a bump and grind." **Roxie slid one leg around the microphone and slowly lowered herself down before rising back up again. Axel raised his eyebrows and turned to look at his best friend, who was a little less interest.

"**Oh, everyone is buying- put your money in my hand! If you want a little extra, well, **_**you know where I am…"**_ She bit her lip and winked out into the audience. Cheers could be heard from several booths next to the pair and from the audience down below.

"She's loveable, that's for sure." Riku muttered while listening to the music pick up.

"**Show a little more! Show a little less! Add a little smoke- Welcome to… BURLESQUE!"** The last stanza of the song the little blonde didn't hold anything back. She belted into the microphone as applause burst out around her. The music ended and she smiled graciously at the crowd. She had them wrapped around her finger. "Welcome, Welcome! How is everyone tonight? It's been so long since I've seen you all!" She chirped happily into the microphone and waved to the crowd below. Axel and Riku locked away at the same moment and cried out together.

"The book!" The pair exclaimed in unison as reality hit them. She was the assistant that would be doing their interviews! If she worked here, did that mean that…

The door creaked open and the men whirled around to see who had entered their room. The man was facing the door, away from them, while he spoke.

"I'm so sorry that it took so long, gentlemen! I promise next time I'll be faster. Now, what can I get you?" The waiter turned around and flashed Axel and Riku a dazzling smile before realizing who they were. He dropped the tray of glasses he was holding and stood stunned as they shattered to the floor.

Riku couldn't believe his eyes. Standing in front of him was a deliciously tanned, toned, and hardly dressed man. The tight spandex shorts the waiter wore showed off everything and left very little to the imagination, not that Riku needed to imagine much. He could remember plenty. What he didn't expect, though, was for the small and scrawny boy he had been in love with to turn into such a totally fuckable babe.

"I'll get someone to clean that up… and a new waiter." Sora stammered out before practically diving out of the room.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the characters of Kingdom Hearts, or the ideas from Kingdom hearts.**

**I also do not own any music lyrics used in chapters.**

**Music this chapter**

**3 Oh! 3- Don't trust me**

**Cher (From Burlesque) - Welcome to Burlesque**


	4. Chapter 4

Sora stormed down the stairs of the top level and surged his way through the throngs of people in the cabaret. He was a man on a mission—a murder mission, that is.

"_LEON!_" The brunet screamed to the taller man standing near the bar. At first Leon turned with a smile on his face but, when he saw Sora hurtling at him with fury covering every feature, his expression turned to pure horror. He grabbed Cloud and the two of them began running full sprint for the dressing room, knocking people over and shoving them out of their way with no remorse. It was push or be killed in this situation, and both of them happened to really like being alive.

Sora chased after them with vengeance coursing through his veins. He was even less polite than they had been as he shoved past his co-workers and guests of the cabaret. People were bewildered as to why a running boy was streaming past them with curses spewing from his mouth. Luckily for Sora, people were pretty used to the abnormal around the cabaret. If they came here for average, they were surely disappointed.

He crashed into the dressing room and snapped his head back and forth. No matter which direction he chose, though, he couldn't find Cloud or Leon anywhere. He began silently moving through the empty room (all the performers were on stage doing a big number) in an attempt to discover them before they could escape his grasp. He slowly crept his way into the closet at the end of the room and searched the floor for shoes that didn't fit in. He came across a vibrant pair of cobalt blue converse and yanked Cloud out from behind the massive amounts of clothes he had been hiding behind. The blond cried out in surprise and immediately began thrashing about in an attempt to get away.

"Leon! Leon, _run_!" He screamed before Sora put a hand over his mouth.

"How could you?" Sora sat the blond down on the glitter splattered floor and looked him dead in the eye. Cloud was astonished to see that Sora was tearing up.

"Sor, what's the matter? Why are you crying?" He asked gently before Leon entered the closet in a mad dash to save his boyfriend from the little brunet's fury. However, when he noticed that Sora wasn't aggressively attacking the blond, but was instead seated on the ground with tears silently streaming down his face, he stopped in his tracks.

"Sora?" The taller brunet questioned why his most reliable employee and one of his closest friends was currently reduced to a mess of tears on the ground.

"You _know_ what he did to me. You _knew_ he'd be here. You put me as a running boy on purpose just so I'd have to see him!" Sora wiped his cheeks with the back of his hands but it was a futile effort. His eyes kept spewing salty tears no matter how many times he wiped them.

"Oh, sweetie, we _never_ meant to make you upset. We knew you'd be angry with us, but we never thought you'd get hurt…" Cloud lovingly scooped Sora's smaller frame into his lap and let the brunet settle down while resting his head in the crook of Cloud's neck. Leon came next to the pair and rubbed the little brunet's back soothingly. Sora's tears soon stopped flowing and his breathing returned to normal.

"Honey, you _know_ we would _never_ try and make you cry. We love you too much for that." Leon reassured his friend after Sora was able to sit on his own.

"Of course you didn't do it on purpose. I've just had one hell of a day…" Sora quickly explained to the pair what had happened at the hotel this morning. The couple looked at each other with surprise. Why hadn't Riku told either of them about it when they spoke on the phone earlier? Was the Silveret trying to hide the book from even them?

"We're so sorry, Sora. We should have known better than to try to throw you two back together in such a difficult environment. We just thought it would be good for you to see him again. It's been so long since he…" Cloud started a sentence but trailed off when he realized the direction he was heading. Sora scoffed.

"What? Since he left me? Since he took my heart, stomped on it, tore it to shreds, stuck it in a blender, threw it in the garbage, sifted it _out_ of the garbage, and then repeated the process?" The brunet claimed in exasperation.

"Let's not get too dramatic, okay, darling? Leave that for the performers." Leon tousled Sora's spikes and helped him to his feet.

"So you had a rough break up! Everyone does!" Cloud exclaimed.

"Not _you_." Sora reminded the blond that he had never been broken up with, seeing as him and Leon had been dating for a little over ten years now with no end in sight.

"Not everyone gets it perfect the first time." Leon smiled at his lover's remark and kissed the blond on the cheek. Cloud grinned before turning his attention back to Sora.

"Look, baby. You're twenty-eight years old now. You're not eighteen anymore. You can't keep living in the past. You grew up, you got engaged, and you got crazy good-looking." He rubbed his face against Sora's happily while looking in the mirror. The brunet was sitting in Roxas' chair and allowed Cloud to invade his personal space. There weren't many people who were allowed inside Sora's bubble, but Cloud was easily on the list.

"He's not wrong, Sor. You're a great guy and anyone would be lucky to have you. Why don't we clean you up a bit and you can go show him what he missed out on?" Leon suggested eagerly. He was hoping that he could get the brunet out of his Riku-induced funk.

"Clean me up a bit?" Sora looked to the couple in confusion. They smiled deviously and began wielding brushes. Before he could escape Sora was being poked at and prodded by expert hands. He looked in the mirror at the finished product and sighed.

"I can't tell what's worse… the fact that I'm wearing make-up, or the fact that it makes me look fucking _good_." Sora stated while the couple high-fived in joy.

* * *

Riku couldn't get rid of the look of surprise on his face. Eventually Axel had to shake him before he was brought back into the land of the living.

"Isn't that the guy who is writing our book? What was his name again… um…" Axel tried to remember but his friend finished his thought for him.

"Sora West. His name is Sora." He stared at the table in disbelief. Could that really be the man he once loved so well? So much had changed in ten years.

"Yeah! That was it! Hey, are you okay?" Axel asked the Silveret but his attention turned elsewhere as another song started up. A deep techno beat swirled throughout the cabaret as more dancers practically flew to their places on the stage. The lights went out completely while the beat stayed on and grew more intense. The lone spotlight that was on Roxie disappeared and popped back up again a few moments later.

Her dress was completely gone. Riku had no idea where it went (he couldn't see it anywhere on the stage now that the lights were slowly growing brighter) but he seemed to be the only one in the booth transfixed on the location of her clothing. Axel, on the other-hand, was transfixed on the fact that she was wearing barely _any _clothing.

The sexy little dress was long gone and Roxie was clad in attire far different. Her stiletto boots had survived the blackout, much to Axel's enjoyment, but she was now wearing a black leather corset with lime-green bows on the bottom. Her lingerie was leather as well, and the lace straps holding it to her corset matched the little bows. The music picked up and she aggressively grabbed the microphone out of it's stand.

"**So hot, out the box, can you pick up the pace? Turn it up, heat it up- I need to be entertained. Push the limit, are you with it? Baby, don't be afraid! I'm a hurt 'ya real good, baby."** Roxie's voice shifted from the warm and inviting persona she was putting on to a scratchy and heavy one. Riku raised an eyebrow at the automatic switch with no warning. She was an excellent performer- that was for sure.

The lights stayed low as green strobes and beams accompanied the performance. Rox's spot turned green as well, highlighting the accents on her outfit, and one of the other dancers threw her what appeared to be a long, black, and leather whip. She cracked it once on the ground and all of the performers, both male and female, dropped to the ground with their legs splayed and their heads hanging.

"**Let's go, it's my show, Baby, do what I say. Don't trip off the glitz that I'm gonna display- I told ya I'm a hold ya down until you're amazed… Give it to ya 'til you're screaming my name!" **She used the second verse as time for her own solo dance number. She dropped to the floor with the rest of the dancers but after she splayed her legs open she closed them back together before getting on her hands and knees and crawling out toward the audience. Her movements were deliberate and sexy

"**No escaping when I start. Once I'm in I own your heart. There's no way you'll ring the alarm, so hold on until it's over!"** She made it to the edge of the stage and rolled over onto her back, letting her legs fly into the air. She slowly and methodically spread them open until she was doing a near split. She then rolled back over onto her front and got to her knees one more, grabbing the mic and singing into it before jumping up to start the chorus.

"**Oh, do you know what you got into? Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do? 'Cause it's about to get rough for you. I'm here for your entertainment!" **She strut her way over to one of the male dancers and stepped on his shoulder with her heel. She cracked the whip on the ground in front of him and he sprung to life, getting his own green spotlight. She did the same for another male dancer and after he received his spotlight they followed her back to the edge of the stage.

"**Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet. 'Ya thought an angel swept you off your feet, but I'm about to turn up the heat. I'm here for your entertainment!" **She finished the chorus and turned around, pulling something out of the top of her corset. She let the items fall to the ground and Axel peered closer. Were those… _leashes?_

"**It's alright- you'll be fine, Baby, I'm in control. Take the pain, take the pleasure I'm the master of both! Close your eyes- not your mind, let me into your soul. I'm a work it 'til you're totally blown!" **As Roxie sang the next verse she slowly and sexily worked her way around the two men. She attached the leashes to strappy leather harnesses they were wearing on their chests and cracked the whip behind them so they fell into a position where they both rested on their hands and knees.

She sang another chorus as she used the whip to control the men in front of her. They crawled on the floor with deliberate and strong movements, giving the impression of being completely under Roxie's control. She cracked the whip behind her and two girls (dressed similarly to Roxie, but more revealing of cleavage) appeared behind her from the floor and unhooked the men from their leashes. The men, upon being released, dominated the girls and picked them up seductively while Roxie belted.

"**Oooohhh... Do you like what you see? Wooooaaaahhhh... Let me entertain 'ya till you screeaaam!"** The dancers behind her faded into the background while all the green lights centered on the blonde singing her heart out at the edge of the stage. The audience cheered when she hit the word "scream" and Roxie dropped to the floor, running her hands from her chest down to her legs as tantalizingly as possible.

"**Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet. 'Ya thought an angel swept ya off your feet. Well I'm about to turn up the heat- I'm here for your entertainment!" **The last chorus finished with the dancers crowding around Roxie. The two men she had used before picked her up and she sat on their shoulders with her legs crossed and arms behind her head casually while everyone else struck poses beneath her. The music hit the last chord and faded electronically out from behind them. The lights went dim and the performers scrambled off the stage. By the time all the regular lights in the cabaret came back on, all of them had vanished.

"What the hell is a girl like that doing in this place? Or working for a publishing company, for that fact? She's a brilliant performer!" Axel couldn't believe it. She had everything it took to make it big. She had stage presence. She had the voice, the attitude, and the dance skills. She was the perfect example of what talent scouts were looking for.

"Maybe it's loyalty? Look at how many people in the crowd adore her. She's probably been here for years and can't find the heart to leave." Riku mentioned casually before their door opened. Both men turned their heads to look in the doorway.

"I'm so sorry about the mess, boys. I'll be sure it clean it up." Sora had a small broom and dust-bin in his hands. He quickly side-stepped around the broken glass and the tray on the ground before bending down and sweeping up the mess. Riku's eyes widened when the brunet effortlessly glided down to the ground with his ass practically in the silveret's face. Axel raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything to his friend.

"That's okay. I drop shit all the time." Axel casually replied to his waiter. Sora stood up and smiled graciously after dumping the dust-bin into the trash. He placed his hands on his hips and turned his smile from a polite grin aimed at the red-head to a sly and sensual smirk in Riku's direction.

"_How can I help you_?" He asked while looking directly at the silveret. Riku stumbled for words but Axel didn't even notice.

"He'll take a vodka and red-bull and I want coke and whiskey." He instinctively rattled off their go-to drinks and waited for the brunet to write them down. Sora stood perfectly still with his hands on his hips, though, and turned his smile back to polite in Axel's direction.

"I'll be right back up with those. Don't miss me too much while I'm gone!" Sora's grin faultered as he spoke the designated line each waiter or waitress had to give to the customers. He left the room and Riku blinked in confusion.

_He's changed so much…_ The Silveret couldn't help but think of the once shy and timid boy he had been in love with. He seemed so much like the old Sora when he had stumbled in and dropped the tray. But who was this man with such a façade of confidence?

Riku darted from the table and followed Sora down the stairs, despite how Axel was calling for him in confusion. He took the steps two at a time and when he reached the bottom of the spiraling staircase he crashed into the little brunet. He turned around in surprise and peered upward at Riku with a look of horror on his face. He tried to compose himself but had a hard time falling back into the sexy front he had been putting on in the booth.

"You're wearing make-up. You never wear make-up." Riku pointed out. They were standing in the bottom of the stairwell and, due to the fact that other running boys were flying past them, they were nearly pressed chest to chest. It was the closest Riku had been to the brunet in a decade. Sora thought he was going to hyperventilate.

"It was Cloud's idea. If I'm going to be a waiter I have to look the part." Sora's voice was airy and light. He seemed to be having trouble catching his breath. _What is wrong with him?_ Riku thought curiously.

"You weren't wearing it when you came into the booth before. You know, the time you dropped the tray of glasses everywhere?" Riku smirked and interrogated the smaller man. Sora shifted on his feet uncomfortably.

"Obviously I wasn't doing a good enough job for him. He decided I needed a little help." Sora lied.

"So he threw some eyeliner on you and told you to act like a slut?" Riku visibly saw Sora's breath get caught in his throat. He momentarily wondered if he'd have to pound on the brunet's back to get him to breathe again. "You're not that kind of guy, Sora."

"You don't know anything about me! Now shut up so I can go get your drinks." Sora spat at the silveret and quickly darted out of the stair-well. Riku stood where he was, shocked. How could Sora's moods switch so quickly? One moment he was practically shrinking under Riku's glance and the next he shouted in his face and took off?

Sora had a tray of their drinks in his hand as he strut past the Silveret with a look of contempt on his face. He held his nose high in the air and refused to glance in Riku's direction while he climbed the steps. The Silveret watched in awe as his tight ass and lean legs pranced up the stairs before Sora rounded the corner and could no longer be seen.

Riku had no idea what was going on or what had happened to the man he once loved so well. What he did know, though, was that he was going to find out whatever it took; he'd find a way to have the brunet for himself again.

* * *

The hours rolled by one after one and eventually it was three in the morning. Leon and Cloud kicked everyone out of the Cabaret and sighed by the door when the last patron slipped out of the exit. Sora wiped his brow and picked up a broom in order to sweep up the bar area. Roxie slipped off her high-heeled boots and dramatically laid down on the bar's counter top. She placed her hand on her forehead and threw the other one over the side of the counter.

"I don't know how much longer I can go on." She breathed out before pretending to croak. Sora rolled his eyes and threw his broom on top of her. She let out a small squeal before reluctantly getting up and sweeping around the bar. The brunet occupied himself by collecting all of the empty glasses on the bottom floor.

"Another successful night, wouldn't you say, Leon?" Cloud had his arm around his lover's waist and the brunet man had his around Cloud's shoulder. The two looked at each other lovingly before sharing a chaste kiss.

"It's enough to pay the bills and that's all I care about." He kissed into Cloud's hair before grabbing a wet rag to clear off the bar. The blond helped Sora grab the rest of the glasses and brought them over to the sink. There was a slew of other workers cleaning the place up for the night on the bottom floor along with the four men. They ignored their conversation, though, since all of them were used to being excluded from the friends' banter.

"Tomorrow should be even better!" Roxie chimed in cheerfully before yawning.

"You better be bright-eyed and bushy tailed, girlie. I can't have you slacking on us." Leon scolded her.

"You're our star, after all!" Cloud smiled happily before turning on the sink water and soaking all the glasses.

"Don't flatter her. It all goes straight to her fat head." Sora laughed before dumping his cups in the sink next to Cloud. Roxie frowned and put her hands on her hips defensively.

"You're just sour because you don't get to have any fun on stage." She teased her friend. Sora scoffed and shook his head.

"No, I'm _sour_ because Cloud and Leon set me up for disaster tonight! What were you guys thinking? Riku saw right through the make-up and the act and I made a fool out of myself." Sora frowned and leaned against the counter. He looked down at his skimpy running boy uniform and cringed. This wasn't who he was. He wasn't flashy or seductive! That was Roxie's thing, and it always had been. No, he was much more reserved. He should have known better than to try to fool Riku. The Silveret was always good at clearing out the smoke and seeing things for what they truly were, especially when it came to Sora.

"How were we supposed to know you're a terrible actor?" Leon teased before placing his hand on Sora's shoulder reassuringly. "It'll be fine, Sor. He'll forget all about it; he's a big star now. He doesn't have time to remember little things like you going into his booth and shattering a bunch of glasses like a complete moron."

"Very funny, thanks." Sora scowled in Leon's direction and moved from underneath his hand. Cloud swatted at his boyfriend in distaste and wrapped his arms around the little brunet.

"Honey-bunch, don't you mind Leon for a second. He's just grumpy because he thought Riku would say hello to us." Cloud tousled Sora's hair affectionately.

"He didn't stop by?" Sora asked.

"No, he left after his first drink and took that red-head with him." Leon explained.

"His name is Axel. _Axel Andrus._" Roxie purred at the thought of the tattooed superstar. "He's such a babe. I can't believe he was here and I didn't even know!" She clapped giddily before returning to her broom.

"As you can see, Roxie is smitten with a complete stranger." Cloud explained to Leon, who was looking at the little blonde in confusion after her outburst.

"A _straight_ stranger!" Sora called to Roxie, drawing her out of her happy trance. She pursed her lips before crossing her arms.

"No one can look that fabulous and be straight. It's just not possible." She tried to reason with the brunet, but Sora was having none of it.

"That's bullshit! Just because someone is attractive doesn't mean they're gay!" Sora burst out.

"Ah-hah!" Roxie exclaimed. "So you _do_ find him attractive!" She smirked proudly.

"I do not! I can acknowledge the fact that he's good looking; I'm not _blind_ after all. But he's not my type." Sora retorted.

"Kairi has red hair…" Cloud muttered under his breath and quickly dodged the swipe Sora had aimed for him.

"And a vagina- neither of which Sora likes!" Roxie snorted with laughter while her best friend turned bright red with anger.

* * *

By the time they got to their apartment Sora and Roxas (who had taken off his wig and changed into basketball shorts and a baggy t-shirt at the Cabaret) were both exhausted. The brunet flipped the light switch on while Roxas mechanically walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. He downed about half of it before realizing it had his room-mate's name on it; upon said realization he offered the drink to Sora. The brunet grimaced and waved his friend to just finish the bottle.

"How do you do this? I'm going to be a zombie tomorrow morning." Roxas questioned. Sora had been working Thursday nights at the Cabaret and getting up bright and early the next morning for nearly four years now. He was completely used to the mind-numbing tiredness that came from sleep deprivation; Roxas was going to have a harder time doing so because he was so new to it. The next few weeks would be torture for the blond and Sora wasn't excited to deal with it.

"Lots of caffeine, my friend. Lots and lots of Caffeine." Sora chuckled before dropping his bag over a dining-room chair. He ran his hands through his unruly hair and looked around the living room. The lights were all off beside the lone bulb in the kitchen, so the room looked dark and eerie. The couch and love-seat were facing the television set and Roxas had left controllers scattered about on the coffee table. Sora sighed and moved to go clean them up. He was getting used to picking up after his best friend's messes, sadly.

"I'm going to shower and then hit the sack. You'll wake me up in the morning?" Roxas asked hopefully while he watched Sora put the controllers back in their little bin. The brunet nodded and that was Rox's cue to hop into the bathroom leaving Sora alone in the dimly lit apartment.

He looked around at the little rooms and felt a pang of anger run through him. The dining room had plates of half-eaten food and cups that were sticky with pop scattered about. The living room, despite the fact that Sora had just put the controllers away, was littered with socks and chip bags or pop-corn bowls. His kitchen sink was over-flowing with dishes and the counters were an absolute disgrace. Had he lived this way before Roxas moved in? When had his apartment turned into a shit-hole?

He rubbed his tired eyes and decided to ignore all of the horror that his apartment held for the night. He dragged his aching feet toward his room and stumbled inside the door, closing it lightly behind him. He hated it when people slammed doors.

"Only two hours until I need to be awake. Hah. Great." Sora groaned when he looked at his clock. He made sure to check his phone so that the alarm was set and promptly stripped his clothes off. He threw on a pair of boxers and decided to call it a day. After slipping into his covers he turned the light on his nightstand off and rolled over onto his stomach. He didn't remember anything else until an alarm was blaring in his ear.

The brunet whined and let himself become blinded by his phone's lit screen. It was six in the morning and a few traces of sun-light were trying to stream in through the window. Sora bit his lip and forced himself up and out of bed. He stumbled to his dresser and grabbed his business clothes for the day. He decided to go simple: white button-up shirt, black tie, black slacks, and his comfiest dress shoes. He slumped his way out of the door while clutching his outfit and leaned against the wall the entire way to Roxas' room. He opened the door and found the blond sprawled out in bed sleeping peacefully. He braced himself for a world of hell coming his way.

"Rox, get up." He gently shook his friend. Roxas stirred but refused to wake. "Roxas you need to get up. You have a nine to five job to get to." He shook his friend again and sighed when the blond showed no signs of improvement. "Roxas, seriously. It's time to get up!" He shoved the blond off of the bed and waited for the stream of curses coming his way. To his surprise, though, his friend sat up on the floor and blinked at him sleepily.

"Sora… I feel awful…" He began to pout his signature Roxas/Roxie pout. His pink lips quivered pitifully and his big eyes filled with tears. The brunet frowned in annoyance and walked his way over to Rox's dresser. He began grabbing things for him to wear: thong, nylons, skirt, blouse, flats. Roxas smiled in appreciation at his friend and stood up to look at what he had picked out.

"Felling better?" Sora asked skeptically. Roxas shook his head.

"I feel like I was rolled over by a tractor and then went through the combine. But I'm up, aren't I?" He seemed proud of himself and Sora couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Don't worry. The feeling never goes away," He beamed while he friend looked at him in horror. "You just get used to feeling like shit." Sora laughed while leaving the room and heading for the shower.

"You know that none of this matches, right?" Rox called after him with a trace of amusement in his voice. Sora turned the corner so he could shove his hand in Rox's room. He promptly flipped his friend the bird and continued on his way to the bathroom. A shower sounded wonderful.

"Pour me my coffee, please!" He reminded his room-mate before closing the door and taking off his boxers. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and let out a short laugh. He looked like death.

Stepping into a hot shower was a euphoric experience for the brunet. He let the water wash over him and cherished the feeling of his skin coming clean and his hair soaking with suds. He rubbed his tired shoulders and massaged his aching legs. He forgot how much being a running boy sucked. _Only two more nights left!_ Sora thought to himself cynically before stepping out of the shower's spray and drying off. After he got dressed he brushed his teeth and swished some mouthwash around before realizing he was about to have coffee. He frowned in contempt for his stupidity and accepted his fate of a terrible tasting cup of Joe.

"Sor-rah! It's almost time to leave!" Roxie knocked impatiently. Sora opened the door and stepped around the blond leaning against the frame, signaling that the bathroom was all hers. She smiled graciously before brushing her teeth and putting her make-up on.

Sora was standing in the kitchen trying to bare the taste of mint and coffee in his mouth when his phone went off. He scowled at the device on the counter and made sure to check the caller I.D. this time. _Tifa's calling me?_

"Sora West, CityRise Publishing." He answered the phone and cringed when Roxas swore in the background. Hopefully Tifa hadn't heard.

"West, it's Tifa." She greeted him coolly and professionally. "You're going to the hotel we were at yesterday. The band didn't want to leave the comfort of five star amenities."

"Well I sure as hell don't blame them. Thanks for letting me know!" Sora grinned into the mouth piece and he heard Tifa make a sound of disgust.

"It's seven in the morning. Don't sound so cheerful. I'll see you at eight." She ended the call and Sora set his phone back down on the counter. He sipped on his dreadful coffee once more and closed his eyes while he thought about the idea of starting the band's interviews. He could only hope that today wouldn't be the worst day of his life.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the characters of Kingdom Hearts, or the ideas from Kingdom hearts.**

**I also do not own any music lyrics used in chapters.**

**Music this chapter**

**For Your Entertainment - Adam Lambert**


	5. Chapter 5

By the time they piled into the Rusty Stallion and were on the road to the hotel, Roxie and Sora were already arguing.

"Why in the hell would I want to do that? Are you insane?" Sora sputtered at his best friend while they cruised down the city road. He quickly hit the brakes to avoid hitting a car that pulled out in front of him. Roxie flipped the guy the bird and continued her argument with her friend.

"He'll never talk to me, and you know it. He'll be more comfortable around you, though! He'll talk to you!" She tried to explain as Sora weaved in and out of cars on the street. She clung to the handle on top of the car for dear life.

"Just because Riku would be more comfortable around me doesn't mean I'd be more comfortable around him. There's no way in hell I'm doing his interviews! I'll take Axel, you can have Riku." Sora put his foot down both figuratively and literally; he slammed on the gas and sped through a yellow light so they could make it to the hotel on time.

"You're being a baby, Sora!" Roxie exclaimed while continuing to clutch the safety handle.

"Imagine if you had to sit in a room from nine to five with Blaze every day. How does that sound? Huh?" Sora spat at Roxie before realizing what he'd said.

The blonde shrunk in her seat next to him. She seemed to almost visibly coil inward and away from Sora. She lost her angry edge and adopted a frightened demeanor while she looked out of the window. The brunet mentally smacked himself before pulling over into a parking space on the side of the busy street.

"Roxie, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I really didn't." He reached out to touch her shoulder but she shrugged away from him. She turned her head even further toward the window so she wouldn't have to see Sora's face.

"It's fine." She muttered softly.

"Rox, no it's not. I should have never said that. I should have never brought him up." Sora tried once more to comfort her and this time he was permitted access. He squeezed her hand reassuringly and spoke again. "What he did to you was unforgivable and I know better than to compare it to anything that has ever happened to me. I've never been through what you have, and I'm so sorry you had to go through it. You're safe now, Roxie. You don't have to hide anymore." He tried to softly coo her out of her curled up and defensive state. She tucked her legs up on the seat with her and cradled them with her arms before turning her head to face Sora.

She looked at the brunet with tears in her eyes. She eyed him up and down warily, as if he might hurt her at any second. She knew that it was stupid, of course, because Sora had always taken care of her. Whenever she got sick it was Sora who would make her soup and buy her medicine. If she got hurt he'd nurse her back to health until she couldn't even feel the pain anymore. He took her in when she was at her lowest point and helped her back on her feet. He stood behind her and gave a gentle nudge whenever she needed help moving onward. He was her rock, her savior, and her whole world. Without Sora she'd be helpless.

"I know you didn't mean it. Let's go to the hotel, okay?" She wiped away her tears and checked her make-up in the visor's mirror. She had smudged her eyeliner and frowned as she looked at her reflection. Sora opened the glove-box and handed her a tissue before smiling softly and pulling back into the road.

"I'll do Riku's interviews. Now fix your make-up so you don't look like a slob for Axel." Roxie smiled as her best friend spoke. He wasn't perfect, that was for sure, but Sora tried, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Riku rolled over and shoved his face into Kida's warm fur. The dog whined in response; she was annoyed that her master was still asleep and wasn't awake to play with her. She clambered out of bed and walked to her water bowl, lapping it up to satisfy her thirst. She sat down afterward and looked at the bed with her head tilted. Riku's hair was dangling over the edge and she bit at it playfully, trying to get the Silveret's attention.

"Kida, I'm going to kill you if you keep that up." He swatted at the dog gently. She barked at him and whined at the bottom of the bed, forcing him to turn over and look at her. He blearily opened his eyes and was greeted by a wet nose on his face. "Oh, just what I wanted. How did you know?" He spoke to the dog sarcastically while wiping his face off with a tissue that was on a nightstand. Dogs don't understand sarcasm, though, and Kida happily jumped up onto the bed after being acknowledged.

"Riku, you have a visitor!" Larxene knocked on his door. The Silveret groaned and sat upright. Kida nuzzled her way underneath his arm, and he stroked her neck lovingly.

"Send them in!" He called back to her. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock. It was eight-thirty in the morning. Who in their right mind would disturb him at such a ridiculous time? It was practically sunrise in Riku's world.

The door creaked open and Riku could hear footsteps come inside his room while he rubbed his eyes again. Kida jumped down off the bed and barked happily at whoever had entered. Riku figured it was Axel from how his dog responded. She loved that stupid red-head more than Riku himself sometimes.

"What the fuck do you want, dude?" Riku curled back up in bed and rolled onto his side, facing away from the door.

"I'm just here to do my job. I don't get paid if you don't get up, so I'd appreciate it if you could do so." Sora did his best to sound intimidating but ended up sounding like a fourth-grader.

"Shit, I thought you were Axel." Riku shot upright in bed and stared with sleepy eyes at the brunet. He was standing near the door with Kida sitting by his side, eagerly waiting to be pet or paid attention to. He was wearing a classic outfit that suited him well and made him look far more professional than the one he had been wearing the night before; Riku couldn't help but stare.

Then again, Sora was having a hard time not staring as well. Riku was sitting up in bed with just a pair of compression shorts on. The elastic waistband came up to nearly his navel, but the rest of him was scandalously uncovered and unashamed. His broad chest and defined muscles shimmered in the sunlight streaming through the open window. The brunet found it hard to tear his eyes away. Sure, he had seen Riku a thousand times on magazines and on commercials or on billboards. It was impossible not to see the Silveret wherever he went. But the sight was far different in person.

"I'm _technically_ up, aren't I?" Riku smirked and looked to his dog. "She likes you."

"I thought you didn't like dogs." Sora muttered while looking anywhere except for Riku's exposed body.

"I thought you _loved _dogs, yet you're ignoring her." Kida was still looking at the brunet expectantly. Sora shifted uncomfortably.

"I _do _love them, but I'm _supposed_ to be _working._" He made reference to the fact that Riku was still in bed and barely clothed. The Silveret chuckled.

"Fine, fine. I'll get out of bed if it makes you happy. In the mean time, though, pet my damn dog. She looks like she's going to explode if you ignore her for another second." He threw the covers off of himself and stretched after standing up.

Sora sunk to his knees and readily gave Kida the attention she was looking for. Dogs were his weakness, after all, and he couldn't get enough of her happy personality and fluffy fur. Kida couldn't keep all of his attention, though. He let his eyes wander to the Silveret stretching by his bedside out of curiosity and immediately regretted the decision.

Riku had his arms over his head extended as far as they could go while he stretched. His entire body was pulled tight and taut for Sora to inspect. His legs weren't scrawny like they used to be, his arms were ripped, and everything looked picture perfect. He was strong, fit, and gorgeous. Sora quickly looked away when Riku's gaze landed in the brunet's direction. _I don't think he saw me looking._

"Enjoying the view, West?" Riku chuckled. _Shit…_ "Don't feel bad. Everyone likes to look." Riku stated cockily before heading toward his bathroom. "Let me take a quick shower and then we can get started with whatever you want me to do?" He asked permission while leaning in the bathroom's doorway. Sora nodded his head and the Silveret closed the door behind himself.

_This room is bigger than my apartment_, Sora thought to himself as he looked around while Riku was occupied in the shower. Kida followed his every foot-step when he made his way to the bed to inspect it. Sora had never slept in a king sized bed in his life, let alone a _California_ king sized bed. He was fairly certain that if he put the hotel's bed in his own room it would take up the entire thing from wall to wall.

He walked over to the small kitchen in Riku's room and inspected the mini-fridge. Half empty bottles of booze littered the fridge, some of them not even standing upright. There was an empty bottle inside too, with a note.

_By the legal standing of this note: Dem, Marlu, and Axel owe Riku one bottle of vodka, to be repaid whenever they feel like it. Thanks, bitch!_

Sora scowled after reading the scrawl of a person who was obviously drunk when they wrote the message. He grabbed his smart phone and quickly snapped a picture of it to show Roxie later for a laugh. He then got an idea…

As fast as his little feet (and the occasional break to pet Kida) could allow he snapped pictures of the hotel room. What better to put in a biography than pictures that the public will devour greedily? He could get an inside shot at Riku's life that no one else could, and he was going to take full advantage of it.

When the Silveret entered the room (wearing nothing but a towel) he was surprised to find that Sora had seemed to relax a bit. His tie was loosened and he had taken his dress shoes off. He was rolling around on the floor with Kida, happily playing with his new furry friend. Riku leaned against the wall and chuckled to himself.

"What happened to _Mr. We-need-to-get-down-to-business_?" He asked while moving toward his closet. He made sure to walk tantalizingly slow past the brunet. A few drops of water fell on his face and Sora wiped them away with a frown. "Are we going anywhere today? Or are we staying in?" He turned and asked the man on the floor.

"We're staying in. I'll explain the agenda once you put on some clothes." Sora rolled over so that he was facing the Silveret while he talked. Kida nuzzled her way next to him so that they were both staring up at the superstar.

"And you two are going to watch while I do so?" He questioned. Sora turned bright red and sat up, facing away from the Silveret this time.

"Of course not!" He exclaimed in embarrassment.

"Calm down, West. I'm just trying to get a reaction out of you." He turned back toward his closet. "So I can dress in whatever I please?" Riku wondered out loud.

"Of course you can." Sora still kept his gaze trained away.

"Good, because I love to be—"

"_**Comfy.**_" They said it at the same time in unison. The brunet turned and locked eyes with Riku.

Ocean blue to sea foam green- One looking up, the other down. Eyes filled with everything from sleep deprivation to ecstatic jubilation. Tears had spilled out of both sets the night before and if you looked hard enough you could see the remnants of the pain that caused those tears lingering inside. They both looked away as quickly as possible.

"You remember that?" Riku smiled sheepishly and grabbed a pair of sweatpants out of the closet before slipping them on and removing his towel.

"How could I forget? My mother thought you never wore anything but pajamas." Sora laughed for a moment while remembering his strong willed and over-bearing Italian mother fretting over Riku's clothing choices. She would get so worked up about him wearing sweats to dinner, breakfast, or lunch. It seemed Riku was constantly at his house when they were younger, actually.

"How is she, anyway? Vida still going strong?" Riku asked conversationally.

"She's…" Sora began to answer but couldn't find the words. What was Riku asking about his mother for? "That's kind of a personal question. I'm here on business." Sora steered the conversation away from his family.

"Oh… I guess you're right. I'm dressed, after all. You said you had an agenda?" Riku sat down on the plush leather couch in the living area of his hotel room. Sora removed himself from the floor (much to Kida's dismay) and moved to the love-seat adjacent to where Riku was sitting. The brunet dug around in his work briefcase and pulled out a few sheets of paper. He slid one of them in Riku's direction.

"What's this?" The Silveret asked while looking the sheet over.

"It's a contract. I need you to sign it. It basically says that you're signing your life away to me for the next six months." Sora stated matter-of-factly. Riku raised an eyebrow and flipped the paper over to read the practically nonexistent fine-print. Could they even make legible sentences this small? It appeared to Riku that they had tried anyway.

"What does that entail, exactly?" He asked after setting the contract down on the coffee table. Sora sighed and leaned back into his seat.

"It's a bunch of messy legal stuff, basically, but I'll sum it up for you." He began talking. "I have six months to do all of the interviews I need for the book. In those six months my assistant and I will be asking you and your band members questions about your lives and all that jazz. Essentially I'm going to use my time to find out every single personal detail about your life so I can put it on paper and sell it for millions. Sound good?" The brunet pushed the contract toward Riku, who pushed it right back.

"That sounds awful, actually. What if I don't want the whole world to know my personal business?" He replied.

"Maybe you shouldn't have chosen to be a celebrity for a profession then, huh?" Sora snapped. He composed himself after doing so and apologized. "Look, Riku. I don't have all day, okay? If you're going to say no to this novel then you need to do it right now so I'm not wasting my time." He explained.

"I don't remember saying I wouldn't do the novel." Riku reminded him.

"But you're whining about the contract?" Sora was astonished.

"I'm whining because I don't like some of the things in this teeny-tiny fine print. I don't _want_ everyone to know the real me, West. I don't want you digging around in my past and putting it on paper because then you're going to end up writing a story about yourself." Riku shook his head and crossed his arms.

"What are you talking about?" Sora didn't understand.

"_You_ were my past, Sora, and _no one_ wants to hear that story." The two men were at a stale-mate.

* * *

"Good-morning!" Roxie chirped as she entered Axel's room. The red-head had been woken up by Larxene about fifteen minutes prior to the assistant's arrival. He turned around from the small kitchen where he was making himself a drink.

"Someone had their morning coffee, huh?" He teased the blonde as she clicked her heels across the wooden floor of the entryway.

"Nope! I hate coffee. I think it tastes like garbage." She replied happily while moving her way through the carpet on her way to the kitchen.

"You and me both, sister." Axel smiled in her direction. When she finally reached the little kitchen he handed her a glass filled with a drink. She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

"What's this?" She asked quizzically. She took a sniff and her eyes widened in surprise.

"That's red-bull and vodka, Little Miss Sunshine. Drink up." He slammed his down and exhaled quickly after drinking it all. He shook his head and left the kitchen to head to the small living-room. He motioned for the blonde to follow him.

"It's eight-thirty in the morning. A little early for a drink, don't you think?" She sipped at it gingerly.

"You were out pretty late last night. I'm sure you're highly appreciative." Axel smirked at her knowingly and sat down on the couch. He patted the cushion next to him and Roxie smoothed out her skirt before sitting down.

"So you came to the show, then? I didn't know you were gay." Roxie's eyes lit up at the mention of the cabaret. Axel laughed at her response.

"Farthest thing from gay, darling. Riku, on the other hand…" Axel trailed off and winked at her suggestively.

"So you're a straight guy who goes to gay bars. How multi-cultural." She smirked at him and took another sip of her drink. "Thank you for this. I am pretty tired."

"Don't mention it, Sunshine." He winked at her again, but this time Roxie couldn't help but feel it was a little more personal.

"We're on a nick-name basis, now, are we?" She teased him and set her drink down on the coffee table before bringing her knees onto the couch and turning her body so she was facing toward the tattooed man. He picked up on her body language and turned toward her as well.

"I figure that I'm going to be getting mighty close and personal with you for the next six months. I might as well make it fun, right?" He put his arm on the top of the couch so that his hand was close to Roxie's wig. She brushed it over her other shoulder.

"But I don't have a name for you, yet. What do other people call you?" She asked, intrigued.

"Well it depends on who you're asking about. Do you mean friends, family, _lovers,_ or fans?" He raised his eyebrows.

"I'll humor you and say lovers. I'm sure that's what you want me to ask." She picked her drink back up and took a sip while staring at the red head. She tilted her head so that she was peering underneath her eyelashes to look at him. She blinked slowly and made sure her lipstick left an imprint on the glass when she pulled away.

"Lovers, you say? Well… I could say much more than these, but I'll give you the less dramatic ones, the _humble_ ones. Names like _God,_ or _Hercules_, or even incoherent screams of pleasure. Those are just some of many, though." Axel narrowed his lids and smirked at Roxie. She snorted and grinned at him.

"Very cute, but somehow I feel as though I'll never have the pleasure of calling you any of those." She took another sip.

"Never say never, Blondie." Axel reached out and touched her wig gently. He ran a strand through his fingers and gently let go of the curl. "You have such beautiful hair." He mumbled to himself. Roxie resisted the urge to laugh and swallowed it down.

"Thank you. Do you act this way with all of the people who interview you?" She reached down for the briefcase Sora had given her and pulled out the same pieces of paper that the brunet had.

"Not particularly, no. But then again, none of them could perform like you can." He made reference to her displays at the cabaret the night before. She blushed bright red.

"I'm not all I appear to be, Mein Herr." She slid the piece of paper toward him and slipped a pen into his hand. Their faces had somehow ended up inches apart and they were leaning toward each other.

"_Mein Herr?_ What does that mean?" He asked curiously.

"It's German for 'Sir', but it also loosely translates to 'My Lord', which I figured would feed your ego well enough to be your new nickname. But only _I_ get to use it, understand? I'm a _very_ jealous girl, Mein Herr, and I don't like to share." She leaned closer so their noses were almost touching. She bit her lip while they looked at each other's eyes. Hers were dazzling with make-up to cover the fact that they looked tired beyond belief, and his looked happily well-rested, if not a little heavy from drinking.

"My Lord? I love it." He leaned in to kiss her right as she pulled out of his reach. He raised an eyebrow as she put the paper where her face used to be.

"Sign your life over to me for the next six months on this dotted line, please." She pointed to the place where he was supposed to put his pen.

"Six months with you? Sounds like heaven." He signed the paper and took a sip of her drink.

* * *

"You told me over the phone that you would do the novel. Why are you being so difficult?" Sora rubbed his temples in frustration. He and the Silveret had been arguing over the fine print of the contract for nearly an hour and they were no closer to being finished than when they started.

"I told you I'd make you a deal. I didn't say I'd do the novel." Riku defended himself and leaned back into the couch.

"Then tell me what this mysterious deal is! You know how much I need this book, Riku. You know you have me eating out of the palm of your hand. You're only being stubborn because you love watching me grovel underneath you!" Sora threw his hands up in the air and looked at the other man in anger.

"There are many things I enjoy about you, Sora, but one of them isn't watching you beg on your knees. Well, not like _this_ anyway. If you were less clothed… that'd be a _far_ different story, eh?"Riku smirked at the brunet and watched as Sora's face turned bright red with a blush.

"You sick son of a bi—" Sora stood up from the couch and reached for his briefcase, but the Silveret stood up and pushed him back down. He looked up at the taller man in astonishment.

"Sit down and shut up. You need this book and I'm willing to give it to you on two conditions. Are you going to listen to them, or no?" Riku pointed his finger at the brunet and raised his eyebrows.

Sora couldn't believe that he was taking this. He was a grown-ass adult! He couldn't be pushed around like some little kid getting picked on by a bully that was bigger than him. _Who does he think he is, towering over me because he knows I need the money? What kind of sick asshole holds that over someone to get what they want?_

He began to think about how the Silveret had been before he became famous. He had always been very stubborn, controlling, and egotistical. But those traits were things he had always worked so hard to push to the side when he was with Sora. But now that he was used to getting every single desire at the snap of a finger, it seemed those emotions could no longer be held in check.

"Fine, Ass-hat. Talk." Sora crossed his arms and looked in the other direction childishly.

"Ass-hat? That's very mature of you, Sora. I'm so flattered that you're handling this situation like an adult." Riku replied sarcastically before Sora jumped back off of the couch and got in his face.

"What do you want from me, Docken? You've been a complete nightmare this whole damn morning and quite frankly I wasn't very excited to spend the morning with you anyway. I was hoping I'd come in here, ask you my allotted list of questions, and we could both go back to pretending the other doesn't exist! But _noooooo_, you just _had_ to go and be a total jerk about everything to waste both my time and yours." Sora fumed at his ex-boyfriend and stormed around the Silveret's form in order to reach the contract.

"If this contract makes you so angry then here!" Sora ripped it in half and then in half once more, letting the paper float to the floor. "Is that better, Riku? Can you go about the rest of the day without being a total dick? I would surely appreciate it if you could!" Sora pressed his lips into a thin line and slapped his thighs before raising his hands in the air.

"Sora, calm down. You're acting crazy." Riku took a step toward him, but the brunet turned around and walked over to the kitchen instead.

"_I'm_ acting crazy? How am _I_ the crazy one? You're the one who gave me false hope by telling me you'd do the novel. I drove all the way out here, sat while you took a damn shower because you couldn't even bother to be ready by the time I showed up, and then I was willing to go through _every damn detail_ of that contract just so you could be happy. But that wasn't good enough, was it? _Nothing _I do will ever be good enough because it _never _was!" Sora didn't realize he was screaming until he found himself standing on the opposite side of the kitchen counter from the Silveret. He couldn't have bothered to care, though, because he was fueled by rage and old memories that burned a hole inside him. He whipped open the mini fridge and took one of the half-empty bottles of whiskey and unscrewed the lid. He took a swig and swallowed it down hissing. He took another. Then another one. After drinking three or four shots worth he threw it back inside and turned to face Riku once more.

The Silveret was leaning against the counter opposite form him. He still wasn't wearing a shirt and the smooth granite of the countertop contrasted with his pale skin. He had picked up the pieces of the contract and set them down in front of Sora.

"Are you done now?" He asked quietly, as if not to start the brunet on another round of temperamental fury. Sora took a deep breath and nodded his head in confirmation "Good. Can we just talk? No fighting, no arguing, no stubbornness. Just talking."

"I didn't realize you were capable of holding a civilized conversation." Sora snapped. He closed his eyes and frowned.

"I thought you said you were done." Riku looked annoyed.

"You're a giant motherfucking douche-nozzle." Sora leaned against the counter while Riku sighed in contempt. "Okay, now I'm actually done. We can talk."

"Thank you." The Silveret rearranged the contract so that the line where he was supposed to sign was back together. He took a pen from the nightstand behind him and artfully scrawled his name on the two halves of paper. Sora looked at him in confusion.

"I thought you didn't like the fine print." He raised an eyebrow.

"This obviously isn't a legal document anymore. It's ripped to hell, all thanks to you." Riku smiled softly. "But what I'm trying to explain is that I'm going to do the damn book."

"You are?" Sora lit up.

"Of course I am. I practically have to if I want to stay famous." He stated. Sora could have leapt in the air and hollered he was so happy. This book was everything he needed.

"Perfect! So when do you want to start interviews? We have so much to get through and not a whole lot of ti—" Sora was stopped from his excited rambling when Riku's hand covered his mouth.

"I have those two conditions…" He removed his hand and watched as Sora's face sunk into despair.

"What are they?" He asked half-heartedly. He hated the idea of being at Riku's mercy.

"The first one is very simple, but you're going to have a tough time agreeing to it." He began to explain. "I already told you that I don't want my personal information leaked out to the public. The masses have no business being involved in my personal life."

"Then how the hell are you going to do this book?" Sora looked skeptical.

"I'm going to make everything up." Riku stated matter-of-factly.

"…Oh, perfect! I always wanted to write a _completely bull-shit biography that millions of people will worship as truth."_ Sora's expression was one of complete and utter astonishment. He was absolute appalled by Riku's suggestion.

"No one will know it's not true. I'll memorize all the answers just in case I have them brought up in an interview. I don't want the media knowing anything about me that could be used against me. You know how they tear people like you and me apart." Sora began to realize what the Silveret was hinting at.

"I'm not going to leak that you're gay, Riku. I would never do that. I could have done it a long time ago if I wanted to." He found a teensy tiny spark of compassion for the man on the other side of the counter. He may have been furious with Riku for how their relationship ended, but Sora wasn't a monster. He knew what happened to people who were openly gay. It would destroy Riku's career a thousand times over if he leaked it to the press.

"I know you could have, and you didn't. Thank you for that. But… that brings me to the second condition." Riku locked eyes with Sora and bit his lip.

"What do you mean?" Sora couldn't figure out why the Silveret was looking at him like that. He could have sworn he saw a glimmer of something sinister in Riku's eye.

"You can imagine how oppressing it is, not being able to let anyone know who you truly are. You can imagine the pain of never truly being _open_ and _real_ with someone. You understand how suffocating it is to hide what you want and who you want it from." Riku walked from his side of the counter over to Sora's. The brunet felt himself frozen in Riku's gaze and clutched the edge of the counter for support. Why was it that his body decided to become unresponsive to him under Riku's heavy lidded eyes staring him down?

"I know the feeling…" Sora thought momentarily of how he had to shove who he was into the darkest and deepest corners of his mind around Kairi.

"So you have to understand just how _desperately_ I need someone to sympathize with me. You know just how much I _need_ someone to feel what I feel." He stopped walking a mere inch or two in front of the brunet. Sora felt his legs stuck in their place as he looked up at the Silveret.

"Riku…" He had meant it to sound like a warning. He had wanted the man in front of him to back up, stop looking at him like _that_, and leave him alone. He tried to say it in his name but when it escaped his lips it came out sounding so weak, airy, and… _needy._ The four shots he had taken from that damn bottle were catching up with him. He was nearly drunk, and his judgment was terribly clouded.

The Silveret was completely right. Sora hadn't realized just how much he longed for someone to understand what he was going though. Sure, he had the cabaret to be who he was, but then what happened after four in the morning? What was to become of him on week days? When he went to work every day? When he took a trip to the grocery store, the movie theatre, or the library? He had no one to secretly hold hands with in an empty aisle, or theatre, or reading nook. He didn't have anyone who could look at him the way Riku was and give him exactly what he wanted.

_No,_ Sora thought, _but I have Kairi and I love her. _

"If you can find it within yourself to understand those things, then you can understand why it is that I miss _you_." Riku leaned forward so that their faces were barely apart.

Sora began to panic. This was Riku. This was Riku standing in front of him. This was Riku standing in front of him completely shirtless. This was Riku standing in front of him completely shirtless about to kiss him. This was everything from his worst nightmares! Hadn't he spent so long hating this man with all of his being? Hadn't he spent sleepless nights crying over how he had left him for dead?

"Then you can understand why I miss _this…_" Riku closed the distance between them and gently kissed the brunet. He could feel Sora begin to resist his advancement so he rashly grabbed the smaller man and pressed their bodies together tightly. He wove on hand into Sora's hair to keep his head in place and the other hand roamed to the brunet's tight ass. He grabbed it forcefully and received a yelp of surprise in response. He didn't care, though. He had been agonizing over Sora's new body the whole night long. He had seen how much the brunet had changed and couldn't believe his eyes the night before. The old Sora wasn't like that. The old Sora was innocent and shy and could barely even say the word _penis_ without acquiring a blush.

But this new Sora was a whole new world of possibilities for the Silveret. He was toned, tan, and by the look of the shorts he was wearing the night before, ready for action. He was a struggling author who needed a muse and fate had decided to drop Riku in his lap for just that purpose. They had crashed together and created chaos in each other's lives until this kiss set the universe straight. In Riku's eyes, it was impossible to ignore the call from fate. It would have been a crime against nature not to use this as his chance to win Sora back.

The brunet squirmed out of Riku's grasp and jumped away from his touch. He stared at the Silveret in shock and disgust.

"What was that for?!" He blurted out. His words were slightly slurred from how much he had drank, but the blush on his cheeks and the way his breathing had picked up cued Riku in to the fact that Sora had _liked _that kiss_._

"My second condition is a contract of my own." Riku pulled a piece of paper out of his sweatpants and slid it on the counter over to the brunet. "It's simple, really. For the next six months you'll be signing your life away to me. In exchange for information, I get _you_. _All_ of you."

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the characters of Kingdom Hearts, or the ideas from Kingdom hearts.**

**I also do not own any music lyrics used in chapters.**


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